, 1908-06-09
WILL KILL
DANDEL|0NS
HoRTICULTURlST OF MONTANA
EXPERIMENT STATION SAYS
HE FOUND HE THING
Iron suIphate or copperas as a Spray
and Methods Of Applying Il to
PIants-Said to Be Death to Plant
and viii Soon Rid Lawns Without
lnjuring the Grass.

iict. II. W. EAoANi
one of the western experiment sta
tons of the government, does all that
the professor says it will do, the yards
of Laramie will be free from dande-
lions. The necessity of getting up at
5 a. m. to dig them out at the roots or
of giving dandelion parties and invit-
ing friends to help dig" will no longer
annoy the owners of fine yards.
Prof. Fisher has published the pre-
scription and circular letters have
been SEN to many Of those who have
made enquiries and stated that they
did not like butter-not growing in
the yard, anyway.
Cure for the Pest.
Here is the cure for the pest:
Iron sulphate OF copperas as a spray
solution for the eradication of dande-
lions has been tested by several exper-
iment stations in the United States
with more or less success. When the
spray solution is properly made and
applied the dandelions can be killed
without injury to blue grass or white
SloftA, oA11PL~ tliN lDS itoN1o VI thO
white clover may be spotted a little
by the iron sulphate solution-rarely
enough, however, to disfigure a lawn.
BY keeping the lawn closely cut and
well watered the clover and blue grass
will rapidly recover from any injury
which might result from the spraying.
Pump to Spray Fluid.
An automatic spray pump. Of which
there are several makes, will give the
best results. A pump manufactured
by Brandt Bros, Chisago, Mimi, has
been found very convenient in expert
ments made at this station and is well
adapted to lawn spraying. The nozzle
should be sucn that a fine mist can
be made, because if large drops Of the
spray solution fall on the leaves they
will run off and no injury to the dan
delion leaves will result. When spray
ing With an automatic spray or hand
pump high pressure should be kept at
all times, as only then will a fine
spray mist be thrown.
Time to Do Spraying.
One good spray pump will be suf-
ficient for several lawns, as it takes
only a short time to spray a lawn.
The spray solution cannot be success
fully applied with a %sprinkling can,
as the large drops will not stay on the
leaves. Spraying should be done on
a day when the wind is not blowing,
when the grass is dry, and still have
the roots in the soil moist enough so
the lawn a go a day or two without
water, in order to give the spray So
luton a chance to do It's work. IL wa
ter Is applied too Don after spraying
the iron sulphate will be washed off
and no results will follow.
If each city in the state would start
a force. of men spraying vacant lots
and roadsides, and each person own
has given so much trouble in the Iast,
could within one or two seasons be
almost stamped out in our cities.
Some Instructions to Follow.
If the following instructions are fol-
lowed out good results will follow:
Procure a good spray pump, one
that holds about three gallons and
can be carried while spraying.
Spray when the leaves are dry and
can be kept dry for several hours af-
ter spraying.
Spray with a fine mist, which can be
done only with a coed nozzle under
high pressure.
Use iron sulphate at the rate of one
and a half or two pounds per gallon.
Do not let the solution stand more
than three or Jour hours after mixing.
straining the Solution.
Strain the solution through a fine
sieve or cloth into the spray can so
that no material will get into the
pump and clog it up.
Spray about every six weeks, or
whenever the dandelions start into
growth.
Keep the lawn grass well watered
SO hat the grass can overcome by
vigorous growth any damage resulting
from the spray solution.
Do not spray more thar is necessary
to kill the dandelions.
Further information in regard to
lawn spraying can be secured by writ
ing the horticultural department of
the experiment station at Bozeman.
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