84 OSIERS AND WILLOWS 



being quite efficient when used against leaf-eating 

 insects, such as willow beetles. The great drawback 

 to it is its expense, but this is, at least in part, balanced 

 by the number of different pests which it can destroy. 

 It is now widely used in the Somerset district, and 

 some growers are so satisfied with the results that they 

 spray regularly with it as a preventive, even though 

 no insects are at the moment doing any injury. When 

 used in this way it must be looked on as a form of 

 insurance. 



The following details of the costs of spraying were 

 obtained from the Somerset growers who usually use 

 a proprietary nicotine and soap mixture : 



Amount of spray fluid used per acre, 40-60 gallons. 

 Cost of spray fluid per gallon, id. to il-d. 



i. e. 5 gallons cost 5^. to 6d. 

 Cost of spray fluid for i acre, 35. ^d. to 6s. 

 Cost of labour per acre (piece-work), 2s. 6d. 

 Amount which one man can spray in one day using 

 knapsack sprayer, i acre to 2 acres. 



Messrs. Bradford's figures : 



40 gallons of water. 



i Ib. Nico-soap at 25. per i Ib. 



i. e. 35. per acre. 

 Man spray 2 acres a day on piece-work at 2s. 6d. per acre. 



i. e. cost 55. 6d. per acre. 



It is probable that the cost of nico-soap has risen 

 beyond the original price of i per 10 Ib. 



Messrs. Bradford estimate the cost of material as 

 slightly less than that given above, but these details 

 are, of course, only approximate, since, in the first 

 place, the amount of fluid used will vary in accordance 

 with the size of the rods; and secondly, the price of 

 nicotine is liable to fluctuation. 



The percentage of nicotine in these proprietary 



