March , 1906 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



67 





slung under one arm is the best. Of these 

 the home gardener will probably prefer the 

 latter. The compressed air sprayer is de- 

 servedly popular. It is lighter than the 

 knapsack, holding about three or four gal- 

 lons, and with it both hands are free to direct 

 the stream, for, after pumping up the air 

 pressure, a spray may be thrown for several 

 minutes. It is also considerably cheaper 

 than the knapsack. The main objection is 

 that there is no means of agitation of the 

 liquid except by shaking the whole tank. 

 This is important, for Paris green being 

 much heavier than water settles rapidly, and 

 unless stirred constantly the poison will be 

 unevenly applied and consequently more or 

 less ineffective. A knapsack sprayer should 

 have a good pump; those working with rub- 

 ber bulbs or by gravity are of no value. 



Galvanized- iron tanks should not be pur- 

 chased for either of these types for using Bor- 

 deaux mixture, as the copper will quickly 

 eat through them. 



The small air sprayers holding only two 

 quarts or a gallon are usually but toys and 

 hardly as good as a first-class atomizer. 



A GUIDE IN BUYING 



A good rule in the purchase of both pumps 

 and insecticides is to see that the name of a 

 well-known and reliable manufacturer, in 

 addition to that of the dealer if that occurs, 

 appears on the pump or package. A product 

 which the manufacturer does not place his 

 name upon is of doubtful value. The main 

 requisite of either of these pumps is that they 

 have sufficient force to throw a fine mist from 

 a standard nozzle for three or four feet, with 

 a steady spray. A spray which will carry 

 ten feet or so by its own force is too coarse 

 for good work. 



Where there are many bearing orchard 

 trees a barrel pump may be found economical 

 in the end. One costs from $10 to $25, with 

 hose and nozzles. A good barrel pump 

 should have as little of the working parts 

 above the head of the barrel as possible, to 

 avoid breakage; should have the cylinder, 

 plunger, valves, etc., of brass (no leather or 

 iron); should have the valve seats readily 

 removable; a good agitator or paddle at- 

 tached to the handle so that it moves with each 



stroke ; an air chamber inside the barrel, so 

 that a constant high pressure may be main- 

 tained; and the parts outside the barrel, such 

 as the hand e, should be of malleable or gal- 

 vanized iron, for castings will break. 



THE TWO BEST NOZZLES 



With a pump that will give sufficient pres- 

 sure the main thing is the nozzle, for 

 the nozzle produces the spray and it is 

 the fineness of the spray that determines its 

 efficiency. Probably more amateurs fail in 

 spraying through using cheap nozzles than 

 through any other cause. For general use 



Tall fruit frees can be sprayed from a step-ladder 

 The compressed-air sprayer again 



Plenty good enough for a few bushes in the home 

 yard — a mere whisk broom. No excuse for not spray- 

 ing. Everybody spray ! 



there are but two types which can be recom- 

 mended, the Vermorel and Bordeaux. The 

 former produces the finer spray in a cone- 

 shaped form, is the favorite for fruit-tree 

 spraying, and with some for all purposes. 

 The Bordeaux nozzle makes a flat, fan-shaped 

 spray and is preferred by many for vegetables, 

 potatoes, and even for tree foliage where it 

 is desired to cover a large surface quickly, as 

 in fighting caterpillars, which must be checked 

 at once. Either will do good work. The 

 Bordeaux should be regulated to produce the 

 finest mist possible, and has the advantage 

 that it is quickly and easily cleaned of any 



If you have twenty trees in your suburban or 

 country home orchard, it will pay to use a platform 

 on a one-horse wagon 



clogging, while the Vermorel, though fur- 

 nished with a pin for cleaning, is sometimes 

 annoying in this respect. The Bordeaux is 

 preferred for lime-sulphur washes on this 

 account. 



Nozzles which make a spray by hitting on 

 wire netting, of the rose-nozzle type, or which 

 give a fan-shaped spray from a solid stream 

 playing on a flat lip are to be avoided; they 

 are usually sold with cheap apparatus by 

 hardware dealers unfamiliar with the use to 

 which they are to be put. The finer the spray 

 a nozzle will make the better, and the less 

 material used. The foliage is to be covered 

 with the thinnest possible film of the spray, 

 and as soon as it drips spraying should stop 

 at once; drenching should be avoided. 



With these points in mind, suitable appara- 

 tus may be purchased from any reliable seeds 

 man or agricultural warehouse or direct from 

 the manufacturers, according to the size of 

 the orchard and garden. 



A PROMISING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY 



In many cases, however, where it is possible 

 to hire the work done by someone making a 

 business of spraying, that will be more satis- 

 factory and cheaper. Unfortunately, this is 

 impossible in most communities at present. 

 Here is a good opening for an energetic young 

 man in every suburban community to secure 

 considerable profitable work, if the business 

 be rightly managed, for the demand for such 

 work is not being met in many a locality. 



But in case no one can be secured to do the 

 work buy an outfit and see that the spraying 

 is done, for fruit cannot be grown in this age 

 without spraying. Five or ten dollars should 

 buy the necessary apparatus and materials 

 for the average home garden, and if cared for 

 — washing thoroughly after use and keeping 

 well oiled — - a pump should last several years. 

 The benefit derived in a single season will 

 usually more than repay the cost. There is 

 some pleasure in gardening besides that of 

 the product secured, is there not? But if 

 the fruits are few, small and diseased, and 

 the trees sickly, one is soon disgusted and is 

 inclined to blame Dame Nature for such con- 

 ditions when he alone is responsible through 

 his lack of care. We grow fruits and vege- 

 tables under artificial conditions and expect 

 an abnormal product, 



