342 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



on the surface, or, like Paris green and such compounds, to sink to the 

 bottom. It is therefore an absolute necessity that whatever spraying 

 machine is used it shall contain some device or other which shall effec- 

 tually agitate and mix the liquid whenever pumping is taking place. This 

 may be accomplished in many ways, the handiest, in the case of a pump 

 mounted on the top of the container, being a rod with a plunger at the 

 end going to the bottom at the end of the stroke, and rising of course on 

 the up-stroke of the pump. It should be accomplished if possible by 

 utilizing the movement of the stroke of the pumps so as not to complicate 

 matters too much. There are some American machines made which 

 include a handle with bevel gears driving a shaft upright in the barrel 

 having attached to the bottom arms which revolve when the handle is 

 turned, and so churn up the liquid ; but this seems to me to involve either 

 extra labour or very complicated work on the part of the pumper, and I 

 think it is not desirable. 



I had an idea at one time that the desired end might be accomplished 

 by turning a sort of pass jet from the main delivery into the bottom of 

 the tank, but I found that to sufficiently agitate the contents so much 

 liquid must pass as to run away with the power from the jets. One 

 would almost think that jolting on an unspringed trolley over the clods 

 would stir up the mixture, but I am afraid this is not the case ; it appears 

 to have rather the contrary effect with some mineral compounds, causing 

 them to settle to the bottom. However I will not labour the point further, 

 but everyone who goes in for spraying must realize that it is only to court 

 absolute failure to try to work with a machine which makes no provision 

 for this necessity. 



With regard to the delivery pipe, we use indiarubber hose to within a 

 very short distance of the nozzle, having very short delivery pipes, finding 

 the shorter ones much more handy to use than long. I think the best 

 thing to buy is a medium quality three-ply tubing. Of course the 

 cheapest is dear at any price, but on the other hand we find the very best 

 hoses built to stand high pressure are too hard and are liable to crack — 

 that at least has been our experience — and that a more pliable quality not 

 quite so strong is more useful in the long run. 



We have quite given up the use of wire for hose fastening, using the 

 very handy brass clips with screws and nuts which are fixed and unfixed 

 in a few moments and never blow off under the greatest pressure. 



It may be asked, how do you reach the tops of the trees with such 

 short pipes and long length of hose? To overcome this we use long 

 bamboos, such as are used for curtain poles, about 12 feet long, and into 

 the top we fix one portion of a brass joint for chimney and drain cleaning 

 rods ; the other portion with about four or five inches of wood affixed is 

 bound to the delivery pipe close up to the jet. One has then only just to 

 screw the bamboo with its top into the latter portion and you have a light 

 twelve-foot delivery pipe nice and comfortable to hold from its large size, 

 but. which can be attached in a few seconds enabling the hose to be coiled 

 up and put on the machine when returning for a fresh supply of liquid. 



Anyone who has done much spraying work will, I am sure, appreciate 

 the handiness of this. There is nothing more awkward than 20 feet of 

 hose with G feet of delivery pipe, and perhaps a stick tied to it, all on the 



