267 



eight bauds are distributed as follows: Oue works the pump; one carries the bucket 

 from which the poisou is pumped; three supply this one with the mixture ; three are 

 with the wagon getting water and mixing the poison. 



"Although the plan just described is the one most generally used, we think that 

 adopted by Mr. Trelease during the present season is preferable, requiring as it does 

 fewer hands. 



'* A 40-gallon barrel containing the mixture is placed on an ordinary four-wheeled 

 wagon, the wheels being 5 feet apart, and the lowest axle 23 inches from tlie ground. 

 The wagon is drawn by two mules, these walking in the furrows on either side of the 

 row of cotton over which the wagon passes. One hand drives the team and two 

 others, provided with fountain-pumps, distribute the poison from the barrel. In this 

 way nine rows of cotton are poisoned each trip across the field. In ordinary cases 

 one or two other hands with a team can keep these supplied with water. By this 

 method poison can be applied very rapidly and with a minimum number of bauds. 

 The experiments show that the cotton was not seriously injured by the team or wagon, 

 although much of it was as high as the top of the wagon-box, and there was none 

 that was not bent as the axle passed over it. Certainly the time and labor saved 

 will, except in cases where the cottou is very high and closely interlocked between 

 the rows, more than pay for the injury done to the cotton. I suggest the following 

 improvement to the apparatus used this season : Have a cover fitted to the barrel to 

 prevent the spilling pf the poison. This cover should have three holes; one for a 

 dasher (similar to that used in churns) for agitating the mixture ; the two other holes 

 to admit the hose of the pumps. The dasher may be worked by a boy or the men 

 with the pumps. 



•'Although the method above described is the most practicable yet devised, we feel 

 that it can be improved ui)on. Our observations convince us that the thing most 

 needed is a machine which can be drawn by one or two horses and which will throw 

 A spray of water on the under sido of the leaves. 



"'The present modes of poisoning are defective in that they require a large force of 

 bonds, often when there is much other work to be done ; and what is a much more 

 serious matter, as the poison is applied to the upper side of the leaves of the plant, 

 the young larvae are not killed until they are large enough to eat through the leaves. 

 This would be of less importance could the poison be made to adhere to the leaves; 

 but it often happens that the mixtures are washed off the plants by rains soon after 

 being applied, while if they were applied to the lower surface of the leaves all larvae 

 leediiig at this time would be poisoned, besides there being less liability of the poison 

 being washed from the plants." 



In addition to wliat is quoted above Mr. Trelease also reported as 

 follows : 



"All of my wet poisons were applied by use of Whitman's fountain-pump, No. 2. 



******* 



Meantime, one or two other men, with a two-horse wagon, containing several smaller 

 barrels, were eugaged in carrying water from a pond to the end of the rows of cotton, 

 where it was transferred to the distributing wagon. With these two pumps worked 

 •lowly, the mules walking very slowly, we found that a barrel of w^ater went over 

 about three acres of cotton, wetting it fairly, but not so well as was to be desired. 

 The men were therefore made to work the pumps faster, so that a barrel lasted for two 

 acres. Not satisfied with this, we enlarged the holes in the rose-nozzle a little, so 

 that without ma-^erially diminishing the force of the pump we were able to apply a 

 barrel of fluid to the acre.* In this way about 30 acres a day may be poisoned by four 

 hands and four mules. 



" With our single pump we were able to cover only five rows of cotton for each trip 



* It is far better to employ the larger size of pump, which, from its greater capacity, 

 distributes more water than the one used by me, and with less labor.— J6. 



