Page 18 



BETTER FRUIT 



The Value of Spray Spreaders 



T*HE use of the spreader in the poison 

 spray solution which has come to 

 be looked upon recently by expert hort- 

 iculturists as very important to the or- 

 chardist is set forth in a valuable way 

 to the fruit grower by Leroy Childs and 

 A. L. Lovett in the crop pest report 

 recently issued by the Oregon Agricul- 

 tural College. In putting this phase of 

 spraying before the orchardist these ex- 

 perts say: 



"The use of a spreader in the poison 

 spray solution accomplishes a number 

 of desirable things. By increasing 

 the wetting and covering power of the 

 solution it permits a reduction in the 

 amount of arsenic necessary for protec- 

 tion. By permitting a more uniform 

 covering over the surface and increas- 

 ing the adhesiveness, it affords a bet- 

 ter protection from worms. Through 

 the increased wetting and covering pow- 

 ers afforded, less solution is required 

 to cover the trees and a tank of spray 

 will go farther, finally allowing the 

 sj^ray to dry a smooth, even covering 

 over the surface, an inconspicuous cov- 

 ering of the mature fruit is obtained. 

 This does away with the blotchy, con- 

 spicious poison coating so objectionable 

 on the fruit when apples and pears are 

 sent to eastern markets, particularly 



since there has developed a tendency to 

 discriminate against the heavily sprayed 

 Western fruit. 



"The investigation of possible 

 spreaders and their economic value in 

 improving the efficiency of the spray 

 solution under commercial orchard 

 spraying conditions has been under way 

 for four years. Many of the problems 

 in connecion with the investigation 

 have not as yet been satisfactorily 

 solved, but of the materials tested as 

 spreaders for cheapness, availability, 

 combatibility, efficiency and ease of 

 preparation, casein, miscible oil, glue 

 and proprietary soaps appear to be the 

 most satisfactory. 



"The casein used in the preparation 

 of the spreader is the commercial pow- 

 dered or granulated casein as derived 

 from milk. The material may be pur- 

 chased through the local druggist, or 

 fruit unions may obtain it in quanities. 

 In preparing it for use, make up a 

 stock solution as follows: Casein, 20 

 ounces, sodium hydroxide, 3 ounces, wa- 

 ter, 21/^ gallons. Add the sodium hy- 

 droxide to the water and heat to the 

 boiling point. Wihile heating add the 

 casein. Boil for ten minutes, replacing 

 the water lost by evaporation. This 

 forms the stock solution. For use stir 



June, 1921 



vigorously and remove one quart of the 

 stock solution to add to each 100 gal- 

 lons of spray. Where the casein is fine- 

 ly powdered a more simple method can 

 be employed. This consists of four 

 pounds of casein or parts by weight 

 and twenty pounds of hydrated lime or 

 parts by weight. These materials must 

 be thoroughly mixed. Add the casein 

 slowly to the lime (dry), while stirring 

 vigorously. Pour the mixture from one 

 container to another, repeating the op- 

 eration until the materials are thorough- 

 ly mixed. Use one and one-half pounds 

 of this stock mixture to 100 gallons of 

 spray. The powder may be added di- 

 rectly to the spray tank. Pour the mix- 

 ture slowly into the filled tank while the 

 agitator is running. Start spraying at 

 once or run the agitator for at least ten 

 minutes to insure a complete solution 

 of the spreader. 



MISCIBLE oil emulsion appears to 

 be one of the most efficient 

 spreaders, although the adhesive quali- 

 ties of the dried material are not equal 

 to casein. The emulsion is easy to pre- 

 pare, readily obtainable and not exces- 

 sive in price. The lighter grades of 

 miscible oil are probably advisable. No 

 tests of the various brands have been 

 made, although theoretically there 

 should be nothing in favor of one over 

 the other. In the tests made we used the 



Box and Crate 

 Shooks 



WE CARRY LARGE STOCKS OF DRY BOX LUMBER 

 AT ALL TIMES 



FACTORY CAPACITY, 150,000 FEET PER DAY 



SHIPMENT OVER THREE TRANSCONTINENTAL LINES 

 N. P.; C. M. & ST. P.; and U. P. SYSTEMS 



Grays Harbor Commercial Co. 



COSMOPOL1S, WASHINGTON 



