42 



THE GARDENER'S ASSISTANT. 



especially designed for efficient distribution of 

 petroleum emulsions or mixtures. It is fitted 

 with two pumps worked by one lever, petroleum 

 and water being pumped separately from dif- 

 ferent tanks (within the barrel) and discharged 

 together thoroughly blended. By an ingenious 

 contrivance the percentage of oil can be increased 

 or diminished, the removal of a pin on the lever 



Fig. 841.— First Spring Spraying. Gould's " Kerowator" Spring Pump at work. 



effecting this by altering the length of the stroke. 

 The oil-pump can be removed when the machine 

 is required for ordinary spraying with solutions. 



For the distribution of insecticides or fungi- 

 cides in the form of dry powder (Avhich is im- 

 portant in some cases) there are machines con- 

 structed on the bellows principle, i.e. the alter- 

 nate indrawing and expulsion of air. One of 

 the best of these is the " Coronette ". This is 

 like the knapsack machine for liquids, and is 

 carried on the back of the operator in the same 

 manner, the handle working the bellows, the 

 powder being expelled through a metal tube 

 with the mouth formed as a distributor. 



IFinter Dressings are recommended as a pre- 

 ventive measure against fungus and insect 

 attacks on fruit-trees. When the trees are in 

 a dormant state powerful remedies can be ap- 

 plied with safety which at other seasons would 

 be injurious. The cleansing effect alone is 

 valuable, for when the bark is covered with a 

 dense growth of lichens and other minute forms 

 of plant life, not only is the health of the tree 

 directly affected, but they afford protection to 

 innumerable insects, their larvae, or their eggs. 



A simple and inexpensive wash for winter 

 dressings is caustic soda (sodium hydrate) dis- 

 solved in water at the rate of about 2 ozs. to 

 1 gallon of water for small quantities, or 2 lbs. 

 to 10 gallons for large, this being nearly 

 equivalent to what is termed a 2-per-cent 

 solution. It should be sprayed on the trees 

 during the winter as weather permits, avoiding 

 times when frosts or strong winds pre- 

 vail. If more than one dressing be 

 applied, the last should be given shortly 

 before the buds expand. We have found 

 it an advantage to add 1 to 2 ozs. of soft 

 soap to each gallon of water, as it causes 

 the solution to adhere to the bark of the 

 trees better, and thus increases its efficacy 

 while adding little to the cost. When- 

 ever soft soap is used for admixture 

 with other solutions it should be dis- 

 solved in a little hot water first, and then 

 added to the principal liquid. 



A winter dressing that has been 

 strongly recommended by the authorities 

 at the Wye Agricultural College, Kent, 

 consists of 1 lb. of ground commercial 

 caustic soda, | lb. pearlash (crude car- 

 bonate of potash), and 10 ozs. of soft 

 soap to each 10 gallons of water. This 

 solution, with the addition of pearlash, 

 is more destructive to the eggs of many 

 insects than when the soda is used alone. 

 In the application of all caustic and poisonous 

 washes to trees two points should be remem- 

 bered: one is, that the efficiency of the wash 

 chiefly depends upon the substance being evenly 

 distributed over the whole of the infected sur- 

 face, whether bark or foliage ; the other is, that 

 due precaution should be taken to protect the 

 clothes and body of the operator. Work as 

 much as possible to the windward of the trees 

 if there is a breeze, protecting the hands with 

 leather or india-rubber gloves if the spraying is 

 to be done with the stronger mixtures. A suit 

 | of oilskin, such as is worn by sailors, would be 

 an efficient protection. 



The application of insecticides and fungicides 

 to trees in growth requires care and forethought 

 if they are to be effective and at the same time 

 harmless to the trees. As a rule, the spraying 

 should be done when the bark and foliage are 

 moist, or, if the weather be bright, in late after- 

 noon. The surface should be thoroughly mois- 

 tened without there being sufficient to drop. 



As many of the substances used cannot be 

 reduced to a state of complete solution to 

 ensure a thorough mixture, it should be well 



