1 
Vol. LIX. No. 2648. 
NEW YORK, OCTOBER 27, 1900. 
«1 PER YEAR 
COMPRESSED AIR FOR SPRAYING. 
EXCELLENT WORK WITH A NEW CONTRIVANCE. 
Advantages of a Low-Down Cart. 
Last week Mr. A. I. Loop, of Pennsylvania, described 
his method of preparing the Bordeaux Mixture, and 
spoke of a device for using compressed air in spraying. 
Wo are now able to give a full description of this ma¬ 
chine. 
Fig. 271 shows the manner of charging the air 
tanks, while Fig. 272 shows the machine in operation. 
The rig is perhaps a little expensive, but it does the 
work fast—just as fast as you wish to—and the hard 
work is a thing of the past. The entire outfit con¬ 
sists of a two-horse-power gasoline en¬ 
gine and a Clayton No. 6 air compressor 
mounted on a one-horse wagon, as 
shown in Fig. 271, and two two-wheeled 
carts carrying the air and mixture tanks. 
Each cart is supposed to carry two tanks 
of 50 to 100 gallons each. The photo 
shows tnree tanks. I had intended to 
use a small tank for air and have the 
initial pressure 200 pounds, but in prac¬ 
tice I found it better to have more air¬ 
space and lower pressure, so I added an¬ 
other tank. The two tanks are con¬ 
nected together by one-quarter-inch gas 
pipe and shut-off valve. Each tank has 
a steam gauge to show at all times the 
amount of pressure inside it. One tank 
has a hose connection with common 
union coupling to attach it to air com¬ 
pressor. The other tank has a large pipe 
connection at bottom. This pipe turns 
up behind the tank and terminates with 
a large valve—refilling valve. Near the 
turn of the large pipe is a tee connec¬ 
tion having attached two lines of hose, 
as shown in the picture; of course more 
lines can be connected if thought best. 
The energy is stored before commencing 
work, so the number of nozzles used 
has no bearing on the quality of the 
work done. 
The carts are very simple affairs, 
homemade; two thills with three cross 
pieces, all bolted together, with the 
tanks strap-bolted to cross pieces. The 
first picture shows how the engine and 
air pump are mounted on a heavy one- 
horse wagon, so as to be easily moved 
to any point where it is most convenient 
to water to fill spray tank. Operation is 
as follows: One cart is backed up to the 
compressor, as shown in first picture; 
the hose is connected (about 10 seconds’ 
work) and engine started. The operator 
then takes a large wooden pail or tub 
with short piece of pipe in bottom that 
fits the refilling valve, opens a little re¬ 
lief valve at top of spray-tank, and pours 
the mixture in. By the time the oper¬ 
ator gets the mixture-tank full, the en¬ 
gine has got up a pressure of 125 pounds 
in the air tank and is ready to begin operations. 
The machine is now ready for use; is disconnected 
from the compressor and driven to orchard. When 
ready to throw spray the valve in small pipe connect¬ 
ing air to mixture-tank is opened a little. In two or 
three seconds the gauge on mixture-tank will show 
50 or 60 pounds pressure. This is about the right pres¬ 
sure to throw a dense fog of spray—as long as nozzles 
are in use the little valve is left open slightly, so that 
the pressure in the spray-tank is constant at 50 to 60 
pounds. If the nozzles are shut off for a minute or 
two or longer it is closed, so pressure will not go too 
high. I use two lines of hose—and sometimes four 
nozzles on each line. Fig. 272 shows two nozzles, 
sometimes ii is economy to use one nozzle; depends 
on what is being sprayed. 
A dozen nozzles on each hose could be used, and all 
would do equally good work, but it would bother a 
man to move around fast enough to use them without 
wasting mixture. This is a point wherein it is su¬ 
perior to a steam pump. The low cart can be taken 
with ease under any tree where a horse can go. A 
horse will draw the cart wherever he can draw a cul¬ 
tivator, up'hill or down. When the spray mixture is 
exhausted the valve between the tanks is closed (sav¬ 
ing 60 pounds or so of pressure in the air tank), the 
refilling valve opened, and in a few seconds all sett¬ 
lings and waste is blown out. By the time the first 
tank is sprayed out the second is charged ready for 
use, so no time is lost, only that used in changing 
horse from one to the other. No agitator is used. If 
the mixture is properly prepared it will not settle 
enough to cause any damage, as it does not take long 
to use up 50 gallons or more of mixture—the time de¬ 
pends entirely upon how many nozzles are used, and 
how quickly the man with the hose can move. 
Now as to the cost. For my purpose, all things con¬ 
sidered, a gasoline engine seemed to be best. It cost 
$165, is two-liorse-power, weighs about 250 pounds. 
The barrel shown in Fig. 271 is half full of water, 
connected by pipes with water-jacket of engine cylin¬ 
der. The can up on the frame is the gasoline supply. 
I heat the hot tube with charcoal; that is the only 
stuff I have found that will not blow out on a windy 
day. The air compressor is a 3x6 No. 6 Clayton- 
Bracket compressor, cost $60. Engine runs 400 revo¬ 
lutions, size of pulley 10-inch, belt three-inch. With 
only 125 pounds maximum pressure and the fact that 
in changing the compressor stops, no water jacket is 
really necessary, although I use a little water in the 
jacket. 
The tanks can be had of any manufacturer of soda- 
water or bottlers’ supplies. They are 
known to the trade as “air-tanks.” They 
can be had in any size, are tested to 200 
pounds or more, are not very heavy, and 
cost last Winter $15 each for 50-gallon 
tanks. Everyone knows what nozzles, 
hose and connections cost. I used grape 
wagon wheels and axle for the carts. 
The framework costs possibly $5 for 
each. I used 50-gallon tanks because I 
have to use up pretty steep hillsides and 
wanted it so one horse would have no 
troimle. a. i. loop. 
A TRIP AMONG FARMERS. 
With Open Eyes and Ears. 
Fart I 
A RICH MAN'S FARM—A trip up 
the Hudson early in August afforded an 
opportunity of visiting a few well- 
known farms. The first was Ellerslie, 
the Summer home of Hon. Levi P. Mor¬ 
ton. This is a delightful home, and 
any man may count himself happy who 
can spend his Summer, or indeed the 
whole year, in such a beautiful spot. 
The man who looks to his farm for sup¬ 
port cannot vie with the man of wealth 
in surrounding himself with luxuries, 
yet the most beautiful things which 
such a home affords are within the reach 
of any well-to-do farmer. Though he 
cannot plant a mansion on the most 
commanding site the view will lose 
nothing of its beauty when seen from a 
tasteful farmhouse. The groves and 
vistas, tne lawns and meadows, are 
more often the result of taste and fore¬ 
thought than of money outlay. Many 
times the things which have involved 
most outlay are artificial and inharmon¬ 
ious, detracting from rather than add¬ 
ing to the charm of the scene. Too of¬ 
ten we forget that home means more 
than bed and board, and in our toil to 
better our condition we neglect the most 
important thing of all. Depopulation of 
the country and congestion of the city, 
with its attendant pauperism, are among 
the vital problems of the day. Neglect 
of the home is one of the underlying causes respon¬ 
sible therefor. I have yet to see a really attractive 
farm-home deserted and the farm abandonea. When 
the attractiveness of such a home is analyzed evidence 
of love is more manifest than evidence of expense. 
Ellerslie, like other farms of its class, is not run on 
a commercial basis, yet that does not prevent the 
visitor from gathering points of practical value. The 
complete system of ventilation in operation in the 
stock barn will well repay study on the part of any 
dairyman or breeder who has not mastered that im¬ 
portant matter. The superintendent believes, with 
others, that lack of ventilation, resulting from our en- 
CHARGING THE AIR TANKS BY MACHINERY. Fig. 271. 
THE COMPRESSED AIR OUTFIT IN THE FIELD. Fig. 272. 
