SPRAYS AND OTHER MEANS OP CONTROL 



1891 



of usage a machine is to get will de- 

 termine what sort of an outfit to pur- 

 chase. Exteremely light outfits, in most 

 cases, are not as durable as the slightly 

 heavier types. Weight and strength have 

 been sacrificed for lightness, but the dur- 

 ability of such an outfit is in some few 

 makes of machines nearly equal that of 

 the heaviest types. Type of pump, valves, 

 etc., also figure largely in durability, but 

 most of the leading pump manufacturers 

 use bronze-ball or bevel-faced wing-guided 

 poppet valves, so this factor does not 

 enter so largely in the choice of a pump. 

 Capacity, simplicity, efficiency, durability 

 and cost, are the factors one must con- 

 sider. Choose preferably a close-coupled 

 truck, with fairly large wheels in the 

 rear and smaller wheels in front, all 

 wheels with broad tires, and with the 

 spraying machine frame set low, using the 

 wagon without a bolster in the rear, if 

 possible, but with the machine set level. 



Home-made power outfits are not ad- 

 visable, as very few have the facilities 

 for connecting up pump and engine satis- 

 factorily. Special purpose machines may 

 be built at home, and also a good hand or 

 independent power pump outfit may be 

 readily assembled. 



Traction-power sprayers are for the 

 most part special purpose machines. 

 There are a few machines of this type 

 built for orchard spraying but most of 

 them were designed for spraying grapes, 

 potatoes and similar field crops, or spray- 

 ing for the destruction of weeds. Power 

 is transmitted from the wheels by means 

 of cams, eccentrics, chains or gears, and 

 the pump is operated by these various 

 mechanical contrivances. Here, as in the 

 case of other types, the same factors, 

 strength, simplicity, durability and capac- 

 ity, must be considered. 



Traction machines were designed as 

 special purpose machines, and are not a 

 complete success for orchard spraying. 

 Some few machines can b© operated as 

 hand pumps as well as used as traction 

 machines. 



For the man who has a small orchard 

 and needs a field sprayer, some machine 

 of this type should be selected; but the 



fruit grower who has a large orchard 

 must look to the other types for a more 

 suitable machine. 



Large hand pumps approach small 

 power machines in capacity and are better 

 than any barrel pumps on account of the 

 long leverage that can be used. Two 

 cylinders of smaller diameter are often 

 used and the capacity is then greatly 

 increased over that of the ordinary bar- 

 rel pump. The entire weight of the body 

 can be applied to the lever without stoop- 

 ing or bending the back, while any type 

 of a tank or barrel can be used as the 

 spray liquid container. For the man 

 who cannot afford a power sprayer, or 

 who has a medium sized orchard and can 

 get cheap labor, this style is very satis- 

 factory. 



Barrel pumps of medium capacity are 

 well suited to the small fruit grower or 

 farmer who does not care to invest much 

 money and yet wishes to raise good fruit. 

 Medium capacity barrel pumps are to be 

 preferred before the large capacity barrel 

 pumps because the latter are hard to op- 

 erate and it takes a heavy, strong man 

 to pump one all day. Besides being use- 

 ful for the man with a small home or- 

 chard, they may be successfully used for 

 cold-water painting, whitewashing, spray- 



Fig. 4. A Barrel Pump, Showing Agitator. A 

 better type has valves, plunger and packing 

 at the top where they are accessible, also an 

 air chamber. 



— Courtesy W. B. Douglas 



