The Strawsonizer.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2710, 23 November 1889, Page 6 (Supplement)

The Strawsonizer.

The wine-growing industry of France is a most important feature of the agriculture of the country, no lass than 1, 920,000 hectares (or over 4,030,000 acreß) being devoted to the growth of the valuable grape. Owing, however, to the damasje done by such diseases and insect attacks as the phylloxera, black rot, mildew, &c., the culture is in serious danger, and during the past few years has liko our own hop area, been marked by a very considerable decrease. How to

counteract this and put the cultivators in a position to combat these evils has been constantly before the Fronoh Govern ment, who haw since 1579 spent no less a sum than 16,330,080f. (£653,000) in investigation and experiment in counexiou

with tho matter. The result is that proper dressings for effectually preventing these attacks are well know, but how to apply them quickly and in a practical manner has boen the difficulty. The invention of the Strawonizer was quickly notpd by the French Ministry of Agriculture, as it was hoped that by its means the wine-growing industry of tho conntrv might be revived and put on a more certain footing. Great interest was therefore taken in the trials of tho maohine which took place in the grounds of tho Exhibition, in the presenco of M. Tisseraud, the Director of the Ministry of Agrioulture, and the superior jury of the agricultural section of the Exhibition. Besides these, Professor A. Lyoen, Directeur da I'Ecnlo Pratique d'Asrricul-

hire etdn Yi'fwltnre at B°nune, al«o present, as wp'! us a goodly number of French eojfiireers. Ttre trials were cou-

ducted by Mr G. P. Strawson, the inventor of the machine, and illustrated the three types of work—(l) spraying insecticides, (2) sowing seed broadcast, aid (3) the distribution of artificial manures,such as nitrate or supurDhosphate—of wtifoh the machine is capable. The whole of the operations were performed in a moat admirable maimer, the jury, however being most interested in the various ways in which insecticide, could be sprayed at different angles for such tall growing crops as vines, hops, or fruit trees, Professor Lyoen pointed out at the conclusion of tbe ordinary trials that for the vines the machine would be required to do something more than Mr Strawson has over claimed that it would do. The machine has been intended to spray a pure liquid or dry seeds, powders, or sand. The mechnnHrn of the nozzle-* in very fine, and wet marnne- or thick liquid substance! might clog it. Pur mildew and black rot, which are the greatest enemies the vine has now to contend against, the best dressing is a thick gruel-liko substance containing about 10 per cent, of solids. This consists of the following mixture Lime Gib., sulphate of copper 61b., and water 1001b. The jury were anxious to see how far the machine would be capable of distributing this mixture as a spray, and Mr Strawson at once consented. The dressing was prepared, and had the appearance of a bucket of whitewash. It was sprayed as evenly and as a pure liquid would have been, and M, Tisserand and the jury were delighted with the (treat success attained. Both the juries which have seen the machine tried afterwards met and unaminously agreed to recommend that a gold medal should be awarded to Mr Strawson for tho machine, A special report, on the trials and the machine is being prepared for the French Ministry of Aariculturfi by M. Grandvoinet, the Professor of Agricultural Engineering at the Institut Agronomique. For tins a history of the machine and of the trials at Windsor is to be prepared. The French Government are also making arrangements to show the machine in the leading wine-growing districts, while machines are also to be used in Paris for the purpose of sowing salt over the streets whenever a snowstorm occurs.