54 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



trial, and the results of the tests were carefully noted. As 

 far as can be determined from one season's trial, the results 

 have not been satisfactory, for the following reasons : first, 

 that the material is not in sufficiently fine condition ; second, 

 that it is impossible to make it adhere for any considerable 

 time to the foliage or other parts of the plants even when 

 applied to a wet surface ; third, that there is a great waste of 

 materia], much of it falling to the ground. After careful in- 

 vestigation, we have not noticed any marked beneficial result 

 following its use. For the above reasons, the dry Bordeaux 

 mixture does not appear to l)e as efficient as that in a liquid 

 form. 



Steam Spraying Outfit. 



One of the greatest obstacles to the use of insect and fungi 

 destroyers has been the difficulty of obtaining pumps of suffi- 

 cient power to enable the application of liquids to be made 

 thoroughly, as fast as an ordinary team would move along 

 among trees or garden crops ; and a careful trial of a steam 

 spraying outfit has been one of the features of the past sea- 

 son's work. As the result of repeated trial, we feel war- 

 ranted in the assertion that, when run with care and skill, 

 very satisfactory work can be done better and more cheaply 

 than when done by hand or by the gear machines. It is of 

 course understood that the manipulator must be thoroughly 

 acquainted with the construction of the engine and pump, 

 and be skilful in keeping all parts in perfect working order. 

 The cost of such s})raying outfits, of which several are now 

 offered in the market, and ranging in price from $200 to 

 $400, is much against its use by the small farmer or fruit 

 grower ; but in almost every village or town the work of 

 spraying for a large number of individuals by the single 

 owner of an outfit could be done at a less cost than if each 

 person were to equip himself with small and imperfectly work- 

 ing pumps. This would pr()l)al)ly be found more satistactory 

 than if the outfit were owned by a number of individuals. A 

 steam engine suitable for this work, and fitted with a fly 

 wheel, so that the power could be utilized, when not needed 

 for spraying, for cutting wood, corn fodder or ensilage, grind- 

 ing grain, pumping water for stock or irrigation, would be a 

 source of profit in many directions. 



