35 



Towers should be about six or eight feet above the bed of the 

 wagon. If you can not reach the top of any apple tree you have 

 with such a tower, I advise you to cut off the tree severely. I 

 have seen several instances where such a procedure has given ex- 

 cellent results. 



The agitator: I want to say just a word about agitators. No 

 one longer uses the jet agitator in which a portion of the spray 

 stream returns to the tank, except in outfits having an abundance 

 of power. We need all the power we can get to keep up the pres- 

 sure in the nozzle, and besides, they do not give satisfactory agi- 

 tation; nor do the bulk-heads in the horizontal half round tanks 

 give the agitation desired for there is not enough movement to the 

 wagon or cart. There are too many hand mechanical agitators 

 in use. They require too much attention which should be given to 

 the spray rod. Some form of automatic mechanical agitator is de- 

 cidedly better. These may receive their power from a sprocket 

 wheel fastened to a wheel of the wagon, or from an eccentric on 

 a movable axle, or from the engine shaft. They are made to pro- 

 duce various different movements, but I believe that the propeller 

 type excels them all. In this, a shaft runs lengthwise and near the 

 bottom of the tank; upon this are fastened propellers or paddles. 

 The shaft revolves and gives the spray liquid a rotary and upward 

 motion and produces ideal agitation. Properly made, strained and 

 agitated spray liquids should leave only a very small amount of 

 sediment in the tank. 



Another point, that should be mentioned that contributes consid- 

 erably to the facility of spraying, is the cleaning of the spray tank, 

 hose and nozzles with clear water after each day's work to remove 

 all sediment that may have collected. A large amount of the clog- 

 ging of valves and nozzles can be attributed to the failure to do this. 

 By all means, thoroughly clean out every barrel, tank, valve, or 

 other part of your spraying equipment at the end of the season. 

 Oil the working parts well and put them in a clean place, then when 

 the spraying season opens the next year, everything is ready for 

 business, and no valuable time is lost in scraping, washing, "cuss- 

 ing and discussing." 



In conclusion, let me emphasize the necessity of keeping the 

 plungers, couplings, the stop cock, and nozzles all well packed so 

 they will not leak and deluge you as well as the tree. Careful at- 

 tention given to many of these details saves time and material, 

 makes the sprayer more efficient, takes away a large part of the dis- 

 agreeableness of spraying and makes it, as I have heard many 

 say, a joy and pleasure, especially when the crop is harvested in 

 the fall. 



