POTATO SPRAYING.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 23 December 1913, Page 6

POTATO SPRAYING.

has been demonstrated time and again that the only safe course to adopt in order to make sure of the safety of a potato crop is to frequently*, and persistently spray,* there are. a great many growers who < profer tq take the risk that the sea 4; aoni will be unfavourable for the presence ,Qf with the lesult that many tons of valuable tubers are riiini ed every seaiv An acquaintance, of., the writer }/ fs<hb has made a practice of growing'potatoes every season.!for the pasti fifteen years, has not lost a ton of his,-crop? from blights during the whole j>f tftat time. His average-, area under; runs to about twentyacres, and. a frfactice of spraying Jtho growing foliage at least four times )§ consistentlyfc&dhered to. This'gentle* man has ■.ployed, to his satisfaction that blights can always be prevented bjF this means.-,x Some years ago when "practically the whole of the Domipf ion's potatoj ; :,|f/>p was devasted ; iff,, fungoid the farm under tice hqd -ja particularly heavy and_ healthy yield, -.which was sold a;t jex-,. traordiaio4iy t Mgkpi*iceg for seed purposes the following jear. While some; farmers-are-prepared to go to a great 1 deal of trouble to ensure the safety of their dchere are others who admit" the necessity for spraymg but neglect to- do4W>ecause it; entails considerable time and troubla, tnereforey undue risks "are frequently taken,. Latest information, advises "that a new departure has been made* by the manufacture of a dry-powder potatosprayer, 'which ha 9 already been placed on the :i English market. manufaetuArs.SssertPthat the inejwiod of distributing ttry-powder is i'i many districts replacing the old method of wet fcprayitig; and they claim the following advantages:— .„.'', 1. ISo mixture whatever, is required The powder is simply Emptied into ■• the hopper of the machine 2. Water-carting is entirely done v

away with. 3. The* work qan be carried on in

. damp or even wet weather. 4. It distributes the fungicide more evenly than.it is possible to distribute it in 'solution, and at a re-

duced cost. 5. One man and one horse can do six acres of spraying an hour. - 6. It avoids scalding the potato leaves in hot weather. 7. The mixing troubles are done away with.

The machine is drawn by a single horse, and consists of a hopper on sft steel wheels, adjustable on 'the axles, for carrying the spraying powder.. A powerful fan is driven from the wheels. The hopper has a capacityfor about 1201b, and is fitted with self-acting scraper and stirrers, which ensure, regularity of ...feed; and it is practically water-tight. Usually four delivery spouts are provided, but any number may be fitted. By means of the fan the powder is driven out of the spouts in a cloud of dust, and it is claimed that 50 acres can be treated daily.

Last year, some nine of the.se machines were at work in great potatogrowing districts of Lincolnshire. The machine may be used also for dressing other crops; and, if suitable for spreading lime or soot, may be found of value in the Dominion for checking the ravages of the turnip Hy.