SOLID-STREAM SPRAYING IN NEW ENGLAND. 5 



plings are a great hindrance to the work, as they become entangled 

 in twigs, rocks, and other obstructions. Recently there has been 

 placed on the market a quick-hitch coupling that is easily connected 

 without the use of wrenches and is being used by this Bureau in 

 its spraying work. It promises a great saving in time when long 

 lines of hose are being used. (PI. IV.) 



NOZZLES. 



From observations made by the writer on solid-stream spraying 

 operations in 1907, 1908, and 1909 it was evident that the nozzles 

 being used were not giving satisfaction and that some improvement 

 should be made. The nozzle then in use had a long, tapering tube 

 with the shut-off near the tip or at the base and was constructed so 

 as to offer considerable resistance to pressure. ( PL V, a.) The " hop- 

 kins " (a finlike arrangement used in open-bored nozzles to stop the 

 circular movement) was placed near the hose end and the tips were 

 tapered nearly to the end, which caused the stream to spread, by 

 reflex action, immediately after leaving the tip. Water passing 

 through lines of hose takes a spiral motion, owing to the spiral 

 winding in the manufacture of the hose. 



Experiments were conducted in 1909 and 1910 for the improve- 

 ment of solid-stream nozzles, and resulted in the production of a 

 nozzle that gave much more satisfaction, gaining at least 25 feet in 

 the height of the stream, working at the same pressure, with the same 

 size tip, and using the same amount of solution. Later it was ob- 

 served that some means should be devised for breaking the force of 

 the stream, so that small trees and the lower foliage of large trees 

 could be properly sprayed. For this purpose a strip of brass, slightly 

 curved, about 10 inches long and 1J inches wide, known as a spreader, 

 was attached to a brass ferrule about a foot in length, so that it could 

 be moved up and down the tube of the nozzle. When this brass strip 

 is slid beyond the tip the force of the solution coming in contact with 

 it is broken up into a fan-shaped stream, thus giving a good mist 

 spray. (PI. V, £>, c.) 



Solid-stream nozzles now being used have a full-way shut-off at 

 the hose end which is packed on both sides to prevent leakage, and a 

 reduction is made in the condensing head for a tapered way of ap- 

 proximately 1 inch in length. The "hopkins" is placed directly in 

 the end of the tube, straightening the stream practically at the tip 

 entrance. The tips are all bored from solid metal, making an abso- 

 lutely smooth waterway. A swiveled handle is provided on the large 

 nozzles to permit them to turn freely when the hose twists, without 

 annoyance to the nozzleman. The introduction of this nozzle prac- 

 tically eliminated the climbing of forest trees in spraying. For full 

 details of construction, see Plate VI. 



