METHODS OP HANDLING TENTS. 29 



common in Florida, especially when the trees are closely set. After 

 adjusting or "kicking in" the edges, the tent is ready for the intro- 

 duction of the chemicals. 



Whether simple poles or derricks are used, tents are usually 

 changed from one tree to the next in the row by making the attach- 

 ment as described and pulling the tent directly off from one onto 

 the other. "\Ylien there are only a few large trees to fumigate and 

 the tents at hand are singly not sufficiently large to cover, two can 

 be frequently used to advantage, placing them in position from oppo- 

 site sides and having them overlap as much as possible without inter- 

 fering w4th tightness at the ground. 



It is best to have the tents large enough so that not less than 2 feet 

 of the edge will rest on the ground at any point when adjusted and 

 ready for fumigation. Sometimes it may be necessary to weight 

 down the tents at certain points by means of a few shovelfuls of 

 earth. Carelessness of the workmen charged with adjusting the 

 tents at the ground would result in seriously curtailing the benefits 

 from fumigating a grove. Wlien arriving at the end of a row, or on 

 other occasions when it is desired to uncover a tree without at the 

 same time pulling the tent in position over another, the tent is usually 

 dragged off by hand. If there is dead wood present, however, to 

 avoid the possibility of injurmg the tent, removal with the poles or 

 derricks may be advisable. It is well to call attention again to the 

 desirability of always pulling the tent lengthwise with the strips, 

 whether in changing the tent from tree to tree or in dragging off from 

 a tree after treatment. 



Bell tents. — The method of covering trees with bell or hoop tents is 

 so plainly shown by Plate I as to require but few words of explanation. 

 The cloth should fall over the hoop on the side farthest from the tree, 

 in order to bring the center of the tent about over the center of the 

 tree in covering. Usually two men, one on each side, can easily 

 throw the tent entirely over the tree, but if the tree to be covered re- 

 quires nearly the full capacity of the tent it will be necessary to pass 

 around to the front of the tree and pull the tent down into position 

 with the hoop resting on the ground. Ordinarily the cloth wdiich ex- 

 tends below the hoop makes the tent sufficiently tight at the bottom 

 when the hoop is resting flat on the ground. An extra man \\dth a 

 pole or rope may be necessary to assist in handling the largest sizes of 

 hoop tents, when they are used to cover the largest trees possible. In 

 changing from one tree to the next in the row a little experience will 

 show what is the quickest and easiest method. Tents of this pattern 

 are at present little used in California, the sheet tent being greatly 

 preferred even for small trees. 



