144 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



When the value of Paris green as an insecticide was first 

 demonstrated the conditions were such as to force the ex- 

 tension of its use for the protection of various crops in field, 

 orchard, and garden. Various kinds of apparatus for the 

 application of this and other poisons of similar form soon be- 

 gan to be devised. An exhibition now of these really prim- 

 itive appliances would remind one of a museum of weapons 

 and armor of ancient and mediaeval ages, so completely have 

 they been replaced among progressive agriculturists and horti- 

 culturists by improved apparatus. 



The application of insecticides in licjuid form in most cases 

 gradually displaced other methods, but it was not until after 

 the introduction of Bordeaux mixture that spray pumps came 

 to be an article of farm and garden machinery in common 

 use. The Bordeaux mixture was at first used as a thick, 

 heavy mixture. Repeated experiments afterwards demon- 

 strated that when diluted so as to pass readily through force 

 pumps and spray nozzles it could thus be applied most rapidly 

 and effectively. Then the spraying apparatus which had al- 

 ready been developed for applying Paris green and such in- 

 secticides was at once pressed into service for the application 

 of the Bordeaux mixture. . As the merits of Bordeaux mix- 

 ture became better known the demand for spraying machinery 

 naturally increased. This, in turn, led rival manufacturers to 

 strive to bring out the best appliances which they could put 

 on the market at reasonable prices. Improvements in spray- 

 ing apparatus have kept pace with the demand for spraying 

 machinery. There was, at first, quite naturally among farm- 

 ers and fruit growers a greater demand for the less expensive 

 spray pumps of comparatively small capacity. But as the 

 practice of spraying became more thoroughly established 

 among them, the bucket pumps, knapsack sprayers, and the 

 weaker types of barrel pumps quite largely gave place to the 

 stronger types of hand pumps, or to pumps driven by hand 

 power or steam. In barrel pumps an important improvement 

 was made when those of the type of the so-called Eclipse and 

 Pomona were introduced. In this type of apparatus the pump 

 is placed near the bottom of the barrel or tank, so that it is not 

 necessary to lift the liquid the length of the barrel before it can 

 be forced through the pump, which must be done with pumps 

 which are mounted outside the barrel or tank.' 



