HYDRONLTTES, ETC. 
267 
e^ght hands are distributed as follows: One works the pump; ODe carries the bucket 
from which the poison is pumped; three supply this one withthe mixture ; three are 
w4th the wagon getting water and mixing the poison. 
"Although the plan just described is the one most generally used, we think that 
adopted by Mr. Trelease during the present season is preferable, requiring as it does 
fewer bauds. 
"A 40-gallon barrel containing the mixture is plaeed on an ordinary four-wheeled 
wagon, the wheels being 5 feet apart, and the lowest axle 23 inches from the ground. 
The wagon is drawn by two mules, these walking in the furrows on either side of the 
row of cotton over which the wagon passes. One hand drives the team and two 
others, provided with fountain-pumps, distribute the poison from the barrel. In this 
way nine rows of cotton are poisoned each trip across the field. In ordinary cases 
oik- or two «»t In i hands with a team can keep these supplied with water. By this 
method poison can be applied very rapidly and with a minimum number of hands. 
The experiments show that the cotton was not seriously injured by the team or wagon, 
although much of it was as high as the top of the wagon-box, and there was none 
that was qo1 beul as the axle passed over it. Certainly the time and labor saved 
will, exeept iii cases where the cotton is very high and closely interlocked between 
the rows, more than pay for the injury done to the cotton. I suggest the following 
improvement to the apparatus used this season: Have a cover fitted to the barrel to 
prevent the spilling of the poison. This cover should have three holes; one for a 
dasher (similar to that used in churns) for agitating the mixture; the two other holes 
to admit tin i.osr of the pumps. The dasher may be worked by a boy or the men 
with the pumps. ' 
"Although the method above described is tin- most practicable yet devised, we feel 
that it can be improved upon. Our observations convince us that the thing most 
needed is a machine which can bo drawn by one or two horses and which will throw 
a spi ay of water on t he under side of t lie leaves. 
"The present modes of poisoning are defective in that they require a large force of 
hands, often when there is much other work to be done ; and what is a much more 
serious matter, as the poison is applied to the upper side of the leaves of the plant, 
the young lai vacare not killed until they are large enough to cat through the leaves. 
This would be of less importance could the poison be made to adhere to the leaves: 
but it often happens that the mixtures are washed off the plants by rains soon after 
being applied, while if they were applied to the lower surface of the leaves all larvae 
feeding at this time would be poisoned, besides there being less liability of the poison 
being washed from the plants." 
Iii addition to what is quoted above Mr. Trelease also reported as 
follows : 
"AH of my wet poisons were applied by use of Whitman's fountain-pump, No. 2. 
* ••• • * * * 
Meantime, one or t wo other men, with a two-horse wagon, containing several smaller 
barrels, were engaged in carrying water from a pond to the end of the rows of cotton, 
where it was transferred to the distributing wagon. With these two pumps worked 
slowly, the mules walking very slowly, we found that a barrel of water went over 
about three acres of cotton, wetting it fairly, but not so well as was to be desired. 
The men were therefore made to work the pumps faster, so that a barrel lasted for two 
acres. Not satisfied with this, we enlarged the holes in the rose-nozzle a little, so 
that without materially diminishing the force of the pump we were able to apply a 
barrel of fluid to the acre.* In this way about 30 acres a day may be poisoned by four 
hands and four mules. 
" With our single pump we were able to cover only five rows of cotton for each trip 
* It is far better to employ the larger size of pump, which, from its greater capacity, 
distributes more water than the one used by me, and with less labor.— Ib. 
