LIME MACHINES. 



131 



A variety of machines have been devised in Europe for 

 applying raupenleim to the trees. One of these, the " Eich- 

 horn machine" (Fig. 8*), was imported by the Board and 

 was used to some extent. It 

 consists of a triangular wooden 

 box with two handles, one of 

 which is hinged and acts as a 

 lever. At the apex of the box 

 is an aperture of the size de- 

 sired for applying the lime to 

 the trunk of the tree. This 

 receptacle being first filled 

 with lime, a handle is grasped 

 in each hand of the workman, fig. 8. The Eichhom machine. 



who, by pressure brought to bear on both handles, forces the 

 contents through the opening. In the mean time the machine 

 is passed around the trunk, and a band of lime adheres to 

 the bark. This machine can be used to advantage where the 

 rings are put on at a height of three or four feet from the 

 ground ; but where it is necessary to place them at a height 

 of six feet or more, as on street trees, great strength is 

 required to force the lime out, and the use of the machine is 

 not practicable. In the machine as imported the aperture 

 through which the lime passed was about one-fourth of an 

 inch in width and one and one-half inches in length. It was 

 found by experiment that the lime remained viscid for a 

 longer time and was more eflective in stopping the ascent of 

 the gypsy-moth caterpillars if the band was made wider than 

 the length of this opening, and of greatest thickness on the 

 lower edge ; consequently the opening of each machine was 

 enlarged to such dimensions as to deposit a band on the tree 

 about one-half inch in thickness on the lower edge and two 

 and one-half inches in width. The lime could be so put on 

 by trowels or spades made for the purpose that the lower 

 edge of the band projected more than half an inch from the 

 bark. If this lower edge was made even thicker than this, 

 and shaped at an acute angle, the oil, which gradually tried 

 out from the surface of the band when exposed to the sun- 



* See also the single-handed Eichhorn machine, Plate XXII., Fig. 4. 



