THE DIVERSIFIED FARM. 



179 



SPRAYING OUTFITS. 



In large orchards, force pump outfits are a necessity, 

 the main points to look after being that the metal 

 parts of the pump which remain in the mixture are 

 of brass or a material which it will not readily cor- 

 rode ; a device to keep the poison thoroughly mixed 

 all the time, and last, but not least, a nozzle which will 

 distribute the materials evenly, and can readily be 

 cleansed should it happen to clog. 



In many instances it has been found advisable to 

 apply the poisons in a dry state, using a bellows or 

 powder gun for the purpose. When this is done the 

 poison is generally mixed, one pound of Paris green 

 or London purple to three pounds of flour or gypsum 

 (land plaster). 



DIFFICULTY IN MAKING KEROSENE EMULSION. 



The kerosene emulsion has been found, in actual 

 practice, somewhat difficult to make. 



Mechanical ingenuity has therefore been invoked, 

 with the result that an apparatus has been designed 

 for mechanically mixing the kerosene with the water 

 at the moment of applying the insecticide as a spray. 

 The Miss. Ex. Station describe such an attachment 

 for Knapsack pumps in Bui. 30. 



Professor Goff of the Wisconsin Station uses an 

 attachment described as follows: For the water re- 

 servoir I used a five-gallon tin can, to which were 

 attached three legs near the top, on which it can 

 stand securely in an inverted position. Then a tin 

 basin was attached to these legs at such a position 

 that when the can is inverted the bottom of the 

 basin hangs an inch and a half beneath the mouth of 

 the can. 



In the centre of the bottom of this basin is soldered 

 a neck to which a screw cap is fitted. 



Through this neck the tube of a funnel can be 

 passed, so that it will enter the mouth of the can for 

 filling. 



Near the top of this can (or near th'e bottom when 

 in its inverted position) is soldered a staple of heavy 

 tin, to which is attached, by means of a hook, a one 

 gallon can, with a basin suspended beneath its mouth, 

 as in the larger can, the smaller can being used for 

 kerosene. The kerosene can is hung at such a point 

 that its mouth is on a level with that of the larger 

 can. This arrangement maintains the two 

 liquids at practically uniform levels. The suction 

 pipes are placed in the basins, and the liquids are 

 supplied from the cans as fast as they are drawn 

 out. 



With this arrangement there is no opportunity for 

 the kerosene to accumulate by separation above the 

 discharge-pipe. Should a very little accumulate in 

 the air chamber, it is not likely to be forced back un- 

 til after the pumping has ceased. 



In experiments with this machine a Nixon nozzle, 

 having a fine orifice diaphragm and medium gauze, 

 was used, and a second diaphragm with a fine orifice 

 was added at the union of the hose with the pump, 

 which materially assists in forming the mixture. 



A KNAPSACK SPRAYER. 



Professor Weed, of the Mississippi Experiment 

 Station, has issued a bulletin describing an attachment 

 to the Knapsack sprayer for mechanically mixing 

 kerosene and water. This machine has a gauge 

 plate plainly marked to indicate the proportion of 

 kerosene which will mix with the water, a very useful 

 device, as will appear by the following: 



In spraying for plant lice, the rule given is to use 

 one part of kerosene to twenty parts of water. For 

 lice on hogs, we would advise one part kerosene to 

 two parts of water, etc. 



It would seem that this is an excellent device, as 

 kerosene will injure all insects that it reaches. 



NO FEAR OF POISONED FRUIT. 



The particles of poison used in spraying do not 

 enter into the plant or fruit, but remain on the out- 

 side until driven off by the action of the wind, rain 

 dew and snow. 



While much has been said and written, both in 

 Europe and America, against using fruit for food so 

 sprayed, the better and more careful methods now 

 employed have reduced the fear of poisoning from 

 sprayed fruit to the minimum and secure finer fruit 

 and larger crops to the grower, which by the law of 

 supply and demand is also an advantage to con- 

 sumers. 



No talk on insecticides would be complete without 

 reference to the work of importing parasites and pre- 

 daceous insects. California has been the pioneer in 

 this work, and where this method of fighting insect 

 pests may end, the future alone can disclose. 



Mention should also be made to the preventive 

 measures of inspection and fumigution of imported 

 trees, etc., from foreign countries, inaugurated by 

 the state of California, an example which might 

 profitably be followed by other states. 



As to the fungicides, the Bordeaux Mixture is the 

 principal combination of copper salts in use here, and 

 its popularity would seem to indicate its value. It is 

 important that enough lime be added to the mixture 

 to neutralize the copper sulphates, which are liable to 

 injure the foliage. 



The American Plow. " The plow used by the 

 American farmer is a humbug and an enemy to fer- 

 tility. 



" We have improved our plows less than any other 

 implement man uses. The plow used in Nebraska 

 and other stoneless soils impacks every furrow it 

 passes over and renders it as impervious to rainfall 

 as possible. The draft of a plow is downward to such 

 an extent that the full force of the team's strength is 

 exhausted in pressing the bottom of the furrow into 

 a polished trough for the conduction ol rain down the 

 side- hills. We must have some method of tillage 

 which shall stir up the soil and subsoil to the depth of 

 eighteen inches and more. If it were possible to 

 loosen the soil and subsoil down for three feet all over 

 the state of Nebraska, we could then, with an annual 

 rainfall of twenty inches, make abundant and profit- 

 able crops. 



" This is a matter of such vast importance that I 

 have asked Chancellor Canfield of the University of 

 Nebraska to bring it before the 1,600 students in that 

 institution and ask them to try and think out a new 

 implement of agriculture which shall supersede the 

 plow. It is a subject upon which the inventive minds 

 of educated farmers should be concentrated. A 

 proper solution of the difficulty will facilitate subsoil 

 tillage and at the same time save both the crops and 

 the soil. In my judgment the coming implement 

 should spade the land and turn it over, as a man who 

 pushes the spade with his foot into the ground and 

 drawing the spade out, turns the soil upside down by 

 the twist of his wrist. Possibly a rotary spader could 



