It’s a Vintage Smudge Pot
A smudge pot (also known as a choofa or orchard heater) is an oil-burning device used to prevent frost on fruit trees. Usually a smudge pot has a large round base with a chimney coming out of the middle of the base. The smudge pot is placed between trees in an orchard. The burning oil creates some heat, but more importantly, a large amount of smoke, particulates, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.
This artificial smog forms a “blanket” that blocks infrared light, thereby preventing radiative cooling that would otherwise cause or worsen frost. (Low clouds can have a similar “infrared blanket” effect, which is why cloudy nights tend to be warmer than clear-sky nights.)
Credit: Wikipedia.com
Dave says
Looks like the things the road workers put by the side of the road where construction was ongoing before they had the battery powered lights.
Doug Weary says
Smudge pots were also used on streets overnight where there was an open ditch or ongoing construction.
James V Hayton says
Wrong!
These are oil fueled road flares
Orchard heaters were much larger: http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter3/graphics/orchard_heater.jpg
Alexis Velez says
Yes, you’re right another common use for the smudge pot was using them as road flares. That said they came in a variety of shapes and sizes, you can see it all in the link below.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smudge_pot