No. 6. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 585 



it has tills great advantage of having a large capacity and at the 

 same time being an anti-clogger. 



One other matter is the matter of hose. The importance of that 

 you will appreciate. You will have to pay a good price for hose 

 that will stand 200 to 250 pounds pressure. I believe it pays to have 

 sufficient hose. That depends, of course, upon }Our trees and how 

 far you wish to spray. If you have perfectly level land, you might 

 get along with two leads of 50 feet, but you want sufficient so you 

 have no trouble, especially with a rod that is eight or ten feet long, 

 you have to have plenty of hose, in order to manipulate it without 

 tiouble and kinking. I don't believe in buying the heaviest hose. 

 We buy about a five-ply hose. 



Another thing that is very important in this matter of machinery 

 is the keeping of your machinery in proper condition. Every farmer 

 should realize the importance of keeping the machinery on the farm 

 in good condition, particularly hose, but remember this, most of the 

 materials that we use are caustic or acid, or have a corroding influ- 

 ence. We always plan to go over our machinery and never put it 

 under cover without going over all the brass parts and oiling them 

 thoroughly and cleaning out the hose, although often when we do, 

 the next spring it will not be in shape to use, but under heavy Tj^res- 

 sure they will sometimes give way. But aljove all things, if you 

 invest |150 to |250 in a power outfit, or even in a hand outfit, if 

 you invest |25, it will pay you not only for the life of the machine, 

 but the ease with which you can keep it working. It is important 

 that those parts be carefully cleaned and oiled, and when it goes in 

 after the season's work, Ave spend a rainy day going over that ma- 

 chine and thoroughly cleaning it in every way. As to what machine, 

 I have nothing to say. We are using in our locality thousands of 

 machines, some purchased from manufacturers, and a large number 

 that are assembled right on our own farm. While a one and one- 

 half horse power engine will do the work, I think two and one-half 

 is far better, because you have sufficient power; you will have no 

 trouble, and it is not Avorking the machine to its full capacity, which 

 means wearing out. So if you are going to buy and assemble your 

 own, or buy one manufactured by auA'body, I prefer a two and 

 one-half horse power gasoline engine, and then having the proper 

 attachments. -Of course, capacity in gasoline engines is more or 

 less of an unknown quantity. You can figure steam engines, but a 

 gasoline engine will develop anything from nothing up to quite a 

 little. Y'ou cannot tell exactly where that is going to land. 



I have rambled over this field in a general way, because while, 

 as I say, I would like to talk to the other fellow, I don't believe you 

 people need this talk, but I want 3'ou to look this up. Possibly you 

 will take home to your neighbors some of the features presented 

 here. I am sor.r}' it is necessary for me to leave before your sessions 

 are over. I have to he in Detroit tomorrow. I have certainly en- 

 joyed very much meeting these friends, as I have in the past, and I 

 trust some of you will come to Michigan. 



