NOTES. 
[115] 
accounts for tho diverging and meandering rows, for the many " cuts" of a planta- 
tion differing among each other in their row-widths as observed everywhere. 
As to conveyances for undersp raying apparatuses, it was found not desirable to 
use a wagon or cart of ordinary width (5 feet) in cotton only 3 feet wide or less, be- 
cause of the great injury done to the plants by the wheels. Most of the eotton in the 
Carolinas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi comes within these dimen- 
sions ; hence a shorter special axle for the cart or wagon wheels should generally be 
employed in any conveyance for the apparatus. But where severely threatened by 
worms the ordinary wagon or cart will do less damage than the pest in any kind of 
cotton ; and it is on this account that wagons are already used to a considerable ex- 
tent for transporting poison and broadcast spraying devices in all kinds of fields. 
Mr. A. T. Jones, near Selma, uses four mules on his heavy spraying machine. But 
ordinarily the common plantation cart will be found the most suitable vehicle. This 
or the lumber wagon will straddle rows 4 feet apart or over without injury to tho 
plants except in turning, and that is surprisingly small, being least with the cart. 
With shafts placed in the usual position the mule must travel on a row to have tho 
two wheels straddle it properly, and this is not practical. I obviated the objection* 
by a pair of rough shafts set to one side, one shaft coming from the center of the cart 
and the other standing outside of the wheel ; thus the mule is held nearly in front of 
one wheel and midway between a pair of rows. In practice it is shown that tho 
slight side-draft caused I » y this arrangement amounts to almost nothing. And it 
should be remembered that it is common in the North to use side shafts on sleighs, 
buggies, &.c. The apparatus is easily pulled by one mule, which should travel pref- 
erably in front of the right wheel. 
Tho personal labor required is such that the pumper may also drive and keep 
an eye on the machine behind. It Kl most convenient when the stirrer, pump, and 
barrel are placed near the left side of the eai t. with the lever or pump-handle stand- 
ing crosswise. The operator then only looks to the right and the left, instead of hav- 
ing to look backward. The mule, accustomed to working in cotton, follows between 
the rows as a rule w ithout being guided, and the pumper is free to turn him at tho 
ends. In this manner one man can use the apparatus alone without working any 
harder than he should. Still, it is generally preferable to have a boy attendant to as- 
sist at times, ami where a larger pump with a very wide system of pipes to supply a 
large number of rows is engaged it will be well to have two men, to take turns at 
pumping in cases where a pump motor is not provided. With such labor, the adjust - 
able under-spraying machines which I have devised and shall notice below were oper- 
ated, the best hand being a mulatto who worked for 50 cents a day, which is a com- 
mon pries for cotton-tield hands. Thus the labor cost is small, and one or two men 
with a machine can do much more and better spraying than a large gang does by 
ordinary met hods. 
The rapidity depends altogether on the width of the pipe-system, or number and 
width of rows ■applied, or the sizeof the cotton, of the nozzle-discharges and of the 
pump, on the velocity or pressure applied, and on the speed of the mule. It inay 
vary with any one of these details. I had only one pump, this very small, and could 
not try the effects of different sizes. There was not much diversity in the cotton and 
it was below medium size. At Selma, I labored under difficulties from bad workman- 
ship, from lack of available mechanics for constructing the devices, on which account 
there were bad joints in the apparatuses, which leaked some, and which would loosen 
and at times come apart when high pressure was applied, thus causing stoppages in 
tho work. Under the circumstances the question of time and scope could not bo 
very satisfactorily tested; but as to the very fine small sprays for small cotton tho 
following conclusions result from this experience : 
Taking nearly averago sized cotton, and the parts of the apparatus of medium 
capacity, an acre and a half was poisoned in one-half an hour, 24 feet wide being 
poisoned at a single drive, and the rows were quite short. Twice this rapidity can 
be attained. 
The quantity of Liquid and poison used also depends on the various conditions 
stated as determining tho rapidity. The amount of liquid to the acre, as near as 
could be estimated under the circumstances, ranged from 10 to 40 gallons, according 
to the size of the spray -discharge and ra the cotton. The quantity of poison is in 
direct proportion thereto, being one-eighth to one-half a pound of London purple, 
or one-fourth to four-fourths of a pound of Paris green to the acre. 
The 8tirrer-pump device is a most perfect thing for the purpose and gave the 
greatest satisfaction. This contrivance is described and illustrated in tho annual 
report for 1881-'82 (PI. IX, pp. 159-161). Tho pump has heavy metallic valves, and 
its piston-head has no soft packing, so there is nothing about it that can get out of 
order. Yarn packing is used in the stuffing-box at its top. Being double acting it 
throws a strong and constant stream. Only one trunnion-eye need be moved, and a 
a single iron wedge, instead of two, is sufficient for setting it. The wedge has on its 
head a catch whereby it is easily pried out, and an eye by which it is chained fast 
