71 



TREATMENT BY FUMIGATION. 



The assistance of Prof. C. W. Woodwortli, of the California Experi- 

 ment Station, was secured for a month last winter, and his suggestions 

 and experience were utilized during this period. Various styles of 

 tents^ioop, sheet, and bell — were made ready, from 8-ounce duck or 

 6-ounce drilling, the cloth being mildew proofed at the tent factory. 

 When upon the ground where they were to be used they were painted 

 with linseed oil, into which enough lampblack was stirred to give body 

 and color to the preparation. 



Some trouble with burning of cloth was experienced, it being found 

 to be almost impossible to paint a large bell tent without serious dam- 

 age, necessitating extensive patching, unless the derrick upon which 

 it was swung was in perfect working order and repair, so as to avoid 

 the i'isk of leaving a fold in the canvas for even a short time while 

 drying out. The weight of oiled tents is also a great objection to them. 

 Cactus juice is not available in Florida in sufficient quantitj^ for tent 

 treatment and some new ax3plication must be found. A preparation 

 used by sailors in semitropical waters has come to my attention, and I 

 hope it is not without value. Mr. Arthur Weaver, who superintended 

 the fumigation of Mr. A. G. Liles's grove, used the preparation and 

 reported it lighter, tighter, cheaper, and more satisfactory in every 

 respect than oil, with which he had had equal exi^erience. It is said 

 not to burn cloth and to be mildew proof. Cloth so treated and in use 

 upon boats in Gulf waters is said to last five or six j^ears. Such endur- 

 ing quality is a very great consideration in our moist climate; and if 

 continued experience with the recipe proves it to be as satisfactory as 

 reported, I shall feel that one long step forward has been taken. As 

 the recipe came to me but recently, I have not yet given it a personal 

 test. The formula for this i^aint, as used by Mr. Weaver, is given in 

 the Annual Rej)ort of Florida Experiment Station, now in the hands 

 of the printer. The remainder of this paper, as well as much of that 

 already given, consists in the main of almost verbatim extracts from 

 said report. 



For trees not over 12 feet high hoop tents were found to be most 

 satisfactory. Above that to 20 feet in height I think sheet tents will 

 prove best. Above 20 feet the bell or sheet will be most satisfactory. 

 As one result of the work, a new pattern of derrick was devised for 

 swinging large bell tents, which seems more flexible to varying require- 

 ments than the California patterns, or perhaps I should designate tents 

 handled thus as box tents, for they are swung in pairs with the derrick 

 upon the same general principle as the box tent, i. e., the type of 

 box tent described in Bulletin 122 of the California station, a derrick 

 being substituted for the lifter. The idea that a bell tent might be 

 handled like a box tent was due to Professor Woodworth, who men- 

 tioned it upon the day of his departure, and the practical working out 

 of the idea was achieved by the writer's combination of ideas derived 

 from various sources. 



