NOTES. . [115] 



acconnts for, the diverging and meandering rows, for the many " cuts " of a planta- 

 tion differing among each other in their row-widths as ohserved everywhere. 



As to conveyances for underspraying apparatuses, it was found not desirable to 

 use a wagon or cart of ordinary width (5 feet) in cotton only 3 tbet wide or less, be- 

 cause of the great injury done to the plants by the wheels. Most of the cotton in the 

 Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi comes within these dimen- 

 sions ; hence a shorter special axle for the cart or wagon wheels should generally be 

 employed in any conveyance for the apparatus. But where severely threatened by 

 worms the ordinary wagon or cart will do less damage than the pest in any kind of 

 cotton ; and it is on this account that wagons are already used to a considerable ex- 

 tent, for transporting poison and broadcast spraying devices in all kinds of fields. 

 Mr. A. T. Jones, near Selma, uses four mules on his heavy spraying machine. But 

 ordinarily the common plantation cart will be found the most suitable vehicle. This 

 or the lumber wagon will straddle rows 4 feet apart or over without injury to the 

 plants except in turning, and that is surprisingly small, being least with the cart. 

 With shafts placed in the usual position the mule must travel on a row to have the 

 two wheels straddle it properly, and this is not practical. I obviated the objection 

 by a pair of rough shafts set to one side, one shaft coming from the center of the cart 

 and the other standing outside of the wheel ; thus the mule is held nearly in front of 

 one wheel and midway between a pair of rows. In practice it is shown that the 

 slight side-draft caused by this arrangement amounts to almost nothing. And it 

 should be remembered that it is common in the North to use side shafts on sleighs, 

 buggies, &c. The apparatus is easily pulled by one mule, which should travel pref- 

 erably in front of the right wheel. 



The personal labor required is such that the pumper may also drive and keep 

 an eye on the machine behind. It is most convenient when the stirrer, pump, and 

 barrel are placed near the left side of the cart, with the lever or pump-handle stand- 

 ing crosswise. The operator then only looks to the right and the left, instead of hav- 

 ing to look backward. The mule, accustomed to working in cotton, follows between 

 the rows as a rule without being guided, and the pumper is free to turn him at the 

 ends. In this manner one man can use the apparatus alone without working any 

 harder than he should. Still, it is generally preferable to have a boy attendant to as- 

 sist at times, and where a larger pump with a very wide system of pipes to supply a 

 large number of rows is engaged it will be well to have two men, to take turns at 

 pumping in cases where a pump motor is not provided. With such labor, the adjust- 

 able under-spraying machines which I have devised and shall notice below were oper- 

 ated, the best hand being a mulatto who worked for 50 cents a day, which is a com- 

 mon price for cotton-field hands. Thus the labor cost is small, and one or two men 

 with a machine can do much Inore and better spraying than a large gang does by 

 ordinary methods. 



The rapidity depends altogether on the width of the pipe-system, or number and 

 width of rows supplied, or the size of the cotton, of the nozzle-discharges and of the 

 pump, on the velocity or pressure applied, and on the speed of the mule. It may 

 vary with any one of these details. I had only one pump, this very small, and could 

 not try the effects of different sizes. There was not much diversity in the cotton and 

 it was below medium size. At Selma, I labored under difficulties from bad workman- 

 ship, from lack of available mechanics for constructing the devices, on which account 

 there were bad joints in the apparatuses, which leaked some, and which would loosen 

 and at times come apart when high pressure was applied, thus causing stoppages in 

 the work. Under the circumstances the question of time and scope could not be 

 very satisfactorily tested ; but as to the very fine small sprays for small cotton the 

 following conclusions result from this experience : 



Taking nearly average sized cotton, and the parts of the apparatus of medium 

 capacity, an acre and a half was poisoned in one-half an hour, 24 feet wide being 

 poisoned at a single drive, and the rows were quite short. Twice this rapidity (^n 

 be attained. 



The quantity of liquid and poison used also depends on the vaiaous conditions 

 stated as determining the rapidity. The amount of liquid to the acre, as near as 

 could be estimated under the circumstances, ranged from 10 to 40 gallons, according 

 to the size of the spray-discharge and'of the cotton. The quantity of poison is in 

 direct proportion thereto, being one-eighth to one-half a pound of London purple, 

 or one-fourth to four-fourths of a pound of Paris green to the acre. 



The stirrer-pump device is a most perfect thing for the purpose and gave the 

 greatest satisfaction. This contrivance is described and illustrated in the annual 

 report for 1881-'82 (PI. IX, pp. 159-161). The pump has heavy metallic valves, and 

 its piston-head has no soft packing, so there is nothing about it that can got out of 

 order. Yam packing is used in the stuffing-box at its top. Being double acting it 

 throws a strong and constant stream. Only one trunnion-eye need be moved, and a 

 a single iron wedge, instead of two, is sufficient for setting it. The wedge has on its 

 head a catch whereby it is easily pried out, and an eye by which it is chained fast 



