September i, 1891] 



THE HUMMING BIRD. 



7i 



different insecticides will vary with the insects to be 

 treated and the plants to which they are applied. 



There are several instruments for distributing dry 

 poisons, such as bellows, insect-guns, dusting-boxes, 

 etc. Any operation requiring the body to be kept for 

 a long time in a stooping posture while walking soon 

 becomes extremely tiresome. It is therefore necessary 

 for field application to devise some means for distri- 

 buting the poison, so as to waste as little as possible 

 of the material and yet allow the body to be kept in 

 its natural position. This is best done by placing the 

 powder to be distributed in a small bag of very fine 

 muslin (two thicknesses, if necessary), and then tying 

 this to the end of a short stick so that it swings freely. 

 It will be found that by tapping the bag lightly with 

 another stick held in the other hand that the operator 

 can walk erect, and do much better work than by 

 stooping along over his crop with an aching back. 

 Prof. Lintner recommends " a tin box of a convenient 

 size (half a pint), with a cover, and having the bottom 

 covered with wire gauze — the box to be fastened to a 

 stick about three feet long. With this a person can 

 walk along the plants to be dusted, and by gently 

 striking the handle with another s nail stick the pow- 

 der can be uniformly distributed with the greatest 

 care." Dry mixtures should be applied when plants 

 are wet with dew or in still weather. It is found by 

 experience, however, that during the spring months, 

 when insecticides are most needed, there are of:en 

 periods of several days when these conditions do not 

 occur. It therefore becomes necessary to apply the 

 poisons in some other way, so that the material may 

 be evenly distributed over the plants to be protected, 

 and not blown away by tie wind. For this purpose 

 mixing with water and spraying is the most convenient 

 plan, and there are a great many kinds of pumps and 

 other appliances for the purpose. After considerable 

 experience I have come to the conclusion that it will 

 repay anyone who has to apply insecticides to go to 

 the expense of procuring a pair of proper bellows for 

 dry mixtures and a force pump for liquid applications. 

 Such make-shift contrivances as ordinary watering 

 cans, whisks, whisps of hay, or bunches of leaves, 

 which are frequently used, actually cost far more in 

 wasted time and materials than would pay for the 

 best special instruments ; added to which, when the 

 woik is done it is neither satisfactory nor effective. 



PUMPS AND OTHER DISTRIBUTORS. 



For dry applications the " Woodason bellows." 

 made by Thomas Woodason, 451, East Cambria 

 Street, Philadelphia, is one of the most highly recom- 

 mended. It is made in two sizes, which sell at $1 

 and $2 respectively. The same firm also manufactures 

 the " Woodason atomizer," for the application of a 

 liquid spray upon a small scale. For more extensive 

 operations force pumps of various sizes are necessary. 

 These can be procured at prices ranging from $2 to 

 $5 for small hand pumps. These are obtainable from 

 most of our Canadian seedsmen. Very useful 

 machines are the " Knapsack " sprayers, consisting of 

 a tank of 4 or 5 gallons capacity, with a force-pump 

 and spraying nozzle attached. They are carried on 

 the back, and are very convenient for the treatment 



of low-growing crops, as cabbages, turnips, etc., as 

 well as for small fruits. Of these the most highly 

 spoken of are the " Galloway Sprayer," manufactured 

 by Albinson and Trusheim, 2,026, Fourteenth Street, 

 Washington, D.C. Cost, $14. Another machine 

 which is highly approved is the " Knapsack," manu- 

 factured by the Field Force-pump Co., of Lockport, 

 N.Y., which sells for the same price. An excellent 

 but more expensive machine is the "Eureka," made 

 by Adam Weaber, Vineland, NJ. Cost, $21. All 

 of these are supplied with the " Vermorel " nozzle 

 mentioned further on. 



For field work larger machines are necessary, and 

 there are several in the market. The Field Force- 

 pump Co. manufacture for $12 the "Perfection" 

 pump which can be attached to a barrel. This pump 

 has an extra discharge hose by which the poison is 

 kept constantly stirred up in the barrel, a most im- 

 portant thing with Paris Green and London Purple 

 mixtures. Gould's Manufacturing Co., of Seneca 

 Falls, N.Y., also send out a machine which has given 

 great satisfaction, called the " Standard Double-acting 

 Spray Pump." This also may be fitted to the top or 

 side of a barrell, and has two discharge tubes. It 

 costs about $14 complete. The Nixon Nozzle and 

 Machine Co., of Dayton, Ohio, make two machines 

 which are highly praised by all who have tried them. 

 The larger, the " Little Giant," consists of a square 

 metal tank with force-pump, and is mounted on 

 wheels. It can be drawn or pushed by means of a 

 handle and driving wheel ; but for use in an orchard, 

 the tank can be taken off the wheels and mounted in 

 a waggon. Cost, $35. The same company also 

 makes a smaller machine, the " Climax Tripod 

 No. 2," which sells for $15. It is very convenient, 

 and can be taken apart and shipped in a very small 

 box. It can be attached to any kind of vessel or tank 

 by means of brass connections, which are supplied 

 with it, as well as 20 feet of hose and 2 nozzles. I 

 am so frequently asked where pumps and spraying 

 apparatus are to be obtained that I have given the 

 addresses of the above firms who have sent me their 

 catalogues. A good pump, called the " Orchard 

 and Garden Force Pump," is made by W. Robertson, 

 Oakville, Ont. I do not know of any other Canadian 

 firms manufacturing these special forms of apparatus. 

 Anyone intending to buy a spraying outfit would do 

 well to send for catalogues before deciding on pur- 

 chasing any particular machine, so as to procure the 

 most suitable. 



NOZZLES. 



Of equal importance with a proper force-pump in 

 the distribution of poisonous applications is a proper 

 nozzle, by means of which the liquid is distributed 

 evenly. Prof. Riley says "the desiderata in a spray 

 nozzle are ready regulation of the volume to be 

 thrown, greatest atomizing power with least tendency 

 to clog ; facility of cleansing, or ready separation of its 

 component parts; cheapness, simplicity and adjust- 

 ability to any angle." 



There are a great many spraying nozzles in the 

 market — some gooji, some decidedly otherwise. The 

 best of these are the Riley or Cyclone, with 



