Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-02
The Strawpile

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Use one part Of hellebore with five or
six parts of flour stirred together;
when left to stand over night or few
days, in closed vessel, like tin bak-
ing powder can. it will impart it's eff
cheney to the flour or the entire mix
ture, and can be used successfully by
busting over the leaves or bushes This
avoids the trouble and expense OF
spraying and Is certainly efficient.
However If you should wish to ap-
ply spray rather than dust for the
currant worms there is nothing better
than hellebore for this particular pest.
prepared as a liquid. to be applied in
the form of spray, by sleeping one
ounce Of hellebore in each gallon of
water, making a decoction. Some
times hellebore is not so strong and
m ore may be needed to make this de-
coction strong enough to kill the pests.
However as they will be off the leaves
in less than one-half day from the time
the material is applied, If it is going
to be efficient at all. 1t is very easy to
make the application and examine the
bushes a few hours afterward and see
if the worms are still present on the
leaves or not. If so, then make the
material little stronger, apply again,
and you will be able to get rid of
them"
Control Of Weeds by Iron SuIphate.
1t seems rather strange that
chemical spray has been discovered
that will destroy many of these troub-
lesome weeds In the grain crops with
out serious injury to the grain. This,
however is true. Iron sulphate, cop
per sulphate common salt and arsenite
of soda are all effective agents in de-
stroying weeds when used as a spray.
On account of iron sulphate being a
by product of the manufacture Of wire,
1t is comparatively cheap It is not an
active poison, and IL reasonable care is
exercised in its use, 1t is not danger
Gus to either man or animals. These
facts make this probably the most gen
orally used chemical for spraying
| weeds
One hundred pounds of iron sulphate
mixed with fifty gallons OF water make
about a twenty per cent solution Of
iron sulphate. This solution is suffi-
Gent to spray one acre Of land. and if
used before the weeds are in bloom will
destroy practically all leaves with
which it comes in contact; especially
of these three worst weeds mentioned.
namely, wild mustard, kinghead and
Canada thistle.
Mustard plants of nearly all varieties
are almost entirely destroyed if hit
with the solution before they become in
bloom. Even after the plants are in
bloom, they are practically prevented
7 f,.ov ~, t., III
ready formed before they are sprayed.
The greatest value of the iron sulphate
spray lies in its almost complete con-
troll of mustard in grain fields.
Kinghead plants, if sprayed when
small. are destroyed, but if allowed to
get very large and woody before they
are sprayed. only the leaves will be
killed and new branches will be sent
out from the main stem in the axis of
the leaves and will produce some seed
Spraying. even when the plants are
quite large. retards their growth and
prevents them from overlapping the
grain crop. Spraying with iron sui
F., phate may be considered practical in
| holding in check the kinghead
! Canada thistle plants, if hit when
young with the iron sulphate solution,
are killed. plants hit after they are
headed, are injured The Canada
thistle is so deeply rooted and new
plants are continually coming up from
the roots, so spraying is not effective
in really eradicating the thistles I'M
less used several times during the sea-
son for at least two seasons. 1t will,
however. greatly reduce the growth of
the thistles and allow the grain crop
a much better chance to grow.
j Spraying Machines.
To be effective, any Of these sprays
must be applied thru machine that
is capable Of developing considerable
pressure. This pressure is secured by
means Of force pump operated by the
| traction Of the wheels. A pressure of
from eighty to one hundred twenty
pounds should be secured and the Ii
quid forced thru nozzles fine enough to
make a fog-like spray. If the eolu-
ton is sprinkled on the plants in drops,
the drops usually roll off onto the
ground and fail to do the work intend
| ed.
There are several manufacturers now
putting out machines that will develop
the necessary pressure and will carry
enough liquid to spray strip from
sixteen to twenty-five feet wide across
a quarter section ana pack. "A ma
chine that will hold at least 160 gall
Ions of solution and will require two
good strong horses to handle it in the
field is the most practical size for an
ordinary farm, as the spraying season
is short and the work must be done
rapidly. For an ordinary isAIun Tile
solution may be mixed in common
barrel, simply emptying one hundred
pound sack Of iron sulphate into q. bar
rel Of water and mixing thoroughly. A
lhoe IL q very convenient tool for mix
ling the solution. When putting the
lsolution into the machine care must
be taken 70 strain it thoroughly so that
lno foreign material will get into the
tank and clog the MOBILES To do this
la very fine screen or two or three
thicknessee of cloth should be placed
over the hole in the tank, as the solu-
ltion Is poured in. Light colored cloths
iare uaIiy stained e, &c troy. ,s,1lnhate
solution.
Cost Of the Spray.
The spray with iron sulphate viii