9 ° 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
IMPROVEMENTS IN SPRAY MACHINERY 
In no other country in the world is spraying practiced so much 
as in the United States. Every year new formulas are discovered, 
and fresh steps taken to defeat insect pests. Along with this ad¬ 
vance in formulas is a very decided improvement in the appliances 
for delivering the mixtures to the crops. Prominent manufacturers 
of spraying appliances announce improvements. 
There are several new 
appliances for the 1908 
“Friend” spraying out- 
fits but no radical 
changes appear in the 
power machines. The 
1908 model shows a new 
carburetor of peculiar 
design in which are em¬ 
bodied some important 
features. One point 
that speaks well for it is 
the fact that the tipping 
of the engine by uneven 
ground in the orchard, 
makes no noticeable dif¬ 
ference in its operation 
because the float cham¬ 
ber and the nozzle feed 
are self-contained. There 
is no side-drawing defect 
and some of the fine 
adjustments to which all 
carburetors have been 
subject to are entirely 
eliminated in it. The 
pump cylinders show the 
same principle that 
proved so successful last 
season, the packing and 
adjustment of it being 
from the outer end, 
where it is easy of 
access, etc. The engine cylinder in the new modelis made from 
new patterns which shows some attractive features. The 
fan which cools the cylinder is situated inside the pump jack 
gear instead of outside, and is mounted on the cylinder by a 
separate casting which can be removed. The fan is guarded all the 
way around, making it safer. The exhaust to the cylinder leads 
down and is connected to the muffler, (which is the same small con¬ 
struction which has been used for several years), by a one inch nipple 
about four inches long. This arrangement all makes the appear¬ 
ances of the outfit very much better, and one which promises to 
please the operators of them. The difficulty with the lime and sul¬ 
phur cutting out the plungers on the pump, which was last year so 
plainly demonstrated, during the fore part of the season, has been 
entirely eliminated by the use of steel tubing in place of the brass 
which can be applied to any machine made in former years. Thi s 
was thoroughly tested last season and the result was most gratifying. 
The steel plungers in many instances were left in service when the 
change from the lime and sulphur to bordeaux was made, in order 
to see what the effect might be. It is reported that they worked 
nicely. On account of the ability to oil the packing, a distinction 
which this pump enjoys, it is possible to use the steel in the bordeaux 
solution with good results. 
During the last season’s operations complaint was made in the 
South and other parts of the country where spraying is done with 
heavy lime and sulphur solutions, that the friction of the mixtures 
wore small holes in the faces of the nozzles directly behind the 
orifice. 
The “Friend” company to prevent this set into the face of the 
nozzle a hard substance capable of withstanding the wear. They 
discovered in doing so that a cone shape upon the face of the nozzle 
or a portion slightly raised approaching the orifice made material 
difference in the fineness of the spray. They have patented this 
feature and claim that their improved nozzle can stand the lime and 
sulphur solutions about which complaints have been made. —■ 
(“Friend” Mfg. Co., Gasport, N. Y.) 
F. E. Myers and Brother, (Ashland, O.), are putting out three 
new spray pumps^which are very efficient and economical. Every 
pump made by this firm is thoroughly tested, and is guaranteed to 
give perfect satisfaction. One noticeable improvement over the 
old style of pump is the fact that they have the ratchet handle. 
This is an advantage over the old style, straight fulcrum pump. 
The pump shown in the illustration is capable of being 
fastened to the floor, or to a plank, or, if need be, to the head of a 
barrel. For this latter purpose the ratchet handle may be made to 
extend horizontally instead of vertically, thus allowing up and down 
motion of the handle while in operation. The pump is fitted with a 
removable brass-body cylinder, concave brass valve-seats, and brass 
valves with ground surface. The valves are all located op top of the 
pump, and can be readily reached by removing the top cap and air- 
chamber. The piston rod is brass, and is supported by a yoke 
attached direct to the head of the cylinder. This always assures 
alignment of the pump. It has a steel handle and pressure gauge. 
Moreover, it is fitted with a valve between the air-chamber and the 
pump, which retains the pressure in the air-chamber, and relieves 
the valves of the pump of all strain. The Myers pump shown in 
Figure, has ground brass seats, and brass ball-valves. The 
valves are located on the side of the pump, and can be reached by 
removing the nut immediately over them. Either valve can be 
removed separately without disturbing the others. This special 
arrangement is different from that on any other power spray pump. 
The plunger is hemp packed, adapting it for pumping either hot or 
cold liquid. The cross head is operated on drawn-steel rods, which 
are attached directly to the head of the pump. 
The compressed air system of spraying is rapidly coming into use 
—in the Middle West particularly. In some sections it is super¬ 
seding the gasoline engine and hand pump. The advantages of this 
system, as far as we can determine, is primarily that of economy. 
The Wm. H. Owen Company, (Port Clinton, O.), reports that one 
man at the spraying plant to make the mixture, run the engine and 
fill the tank, one with the compressed air, another with the solution 
and still another in the orchard to do the spraying, can do the work 
formerly done by ten men and three teams, and three 200-gallon 
tanks. The economy extends not only to first cost, and ease of 
operation, but also to time, it being claimed that more work can be 
done in the same time than with the other kinds of sprayers. 
The Goulds (Seneca Falls, N. Y.), announce general improvements 
on their power sprayer. As has always been true the com¬ 
plete mounted outfit is constructed on practical lines in every sense 
of the word. Every working part is placed where it should be to 
make it convenient for the operator. It does not require a Mechani¬ 
cal Engineer to operate, as the engine has so few working parts and 
is so simple that any farm hand can operate it successfully. The 
pump has ample power for spraying, handling with ease eight or 
more nozzles. With the aid of a tower which may be readily at¬ 
tached and the extensions which are furnished with each outfit, the 
highest trees can be easily reached and effectively sprayed. The 
construction is of the best, the lumber being selected quality. The 
frame work in held together with % in. rods. The engine house j 
roof is covered with \ in. matched lumber, built sufficiently strong 5 ( 
to carry tw r o men. The cab thoroughly protects the engine from the 
spray mixture also from weather when not in use. The mechanical 
agitator is operated by the engine. The relief valve is of improved 
pattern and may be readily adjusted. The “Vice-Admiral” power 
sprayer of this company has been improved also. 
The Engine and Pump are mounted on the same metal base, 1 
eliminating vibration and racking of the pump and gears. The 
Engine is air-cooled by a rapidly revolving fan placed inside of the 
hood, which is so shaped as to carry off the greatest possible amount 
of heat. The method of attaching connecting rod to the Pump 
