A Spraying Machine.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 3222, 5 June 1889, Page 2

A Spraying Machine.

The Treatment of Fruit Trees.,

[By the Special Reporter, 61, toy; Lytteltori Times]. ; ■ m Yesterday morning I was informed that a novelty was to be Seen at the Commercial Hotel, and that I was welcome to take nolo of- it for the benefit of the readers of the Lyttelton Times, I lost no time in repairing to the ?pot where the novelty was, and found it to be a "spraying machine," • which the inventor, Dr William Henry Hoakiug, ofMasterton, was in the act of shoeing to Mews Joseph Gould, F, Wilding; and M. Murphy, . three gentlemen who take a special .'. interest iu all matters pertaining to arboriculture. They were evidently ■greatly pleased with what thoy saw." . The "spraying machino" did not seem'a very cumbersome concern! It was to all appearance simply a copper cylinder, suspended in a .light iron ' frame running oq wheels, in Biich a. manner as to allow of being rocked to and fro very freely. Attached to the i cylinder was a brace apparatus, in which worked a pialon, ,/ with a looped handle. When I arrivjjfc'' the Docior was moying tiiis piston flr and down, counting;as he did so, and ■ when he had. counted twelve strokes he said the machino was charged, The top of the cylinder was slightly dome shaped, and to the centre of this dome was attached a length of gntta percha tubing, at the end of which'was a small brass fitting with a very small opening. On a tap, being turned tho effect of the Dootor'a pumping beoame ' immediately apparent, in the issuing from the guttnperch tube of a shower of what might be called a cold Bteaui, or a sample of Scotch mist. This jet' of infinitesimally Btnali drops of liquid the machine threw to a height of 14ft or 15ft, and everything against which it.was directed was at once covered with what looked like a heavy dew. . The twelve strokes of the piston caused this dew Bhowor to continue for fully five minutes, and asubse. quent test showed that to discharge a oouple of pints occupied a little mora thim a minote.

Dr Hosking has patented his invention, which be claims will facilitate and biivb labour and expense in spray., ing trees, ferns, apartments, die,, m\mjL continuous dew, tin's dew being com|m posed either of pure water or ofsomeP"* disinfectant, or of some fatal to inserts or fungoid growths; the spray can also be used in snrgery lor washing wounds, The especially novel feature of the invention is the, continuous application of compressed air, by moans of a simple combina-. tion of an air pump (the syringe-like ' apparatus), und an air-tight metal cylinder. This dosed cylinder does not of course allow of any leaves, dirt, grass seeds, &c, getting into the fluid, which, moreover, when being put imo tho cylinder, iB passed through a funnel, fitted with a who gauze strainer, Of course, when an inseoti- .. oide solution is used, this straining ensures its fhorougly mixing with the liquid, but to prerent a sediment occurring within the cylinder, tho latter can he readily moved to aqd fro, as has already been mentioned, and thus the entire suspension of tho flolid particles is renewed aa often as may be found necessary, The appar- • atus is complete by having attached to it a Safety .valve, which renders . explosion impossible, : jL.