St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1916-07-12
SPRAYING FOR KALE.
Successful Demonstrations On Oats
BY the County Agent.

The past week has been spent in
posting some of the demonstrations.
1t is hoped that all the demonstra-
tions will be posted by another week.
Five fields have been sprayed for
kale. Where conditions were right
results have been very satisfactory.
On the farms Of Jason Hutchins and
Frank Burroughs in Stannard and
John Hale's in Hardwick the kale
was absolutely eradicated on the
sprayed plots. Fairly satisfactory re-
suits were obtained at Asa Sargent's,
Danville and John Stevens, Walden.
At E. w. Orton's, Walden, the kale
was sprayed just before a storm and
the demonstration did not have a fair
trial.
These demonstrations prove conclu-
sively that kale can be eradicated by
spraying with iron sulphate. The
following method is used: The sui
plate of iron is mixed in a vinegar,
kerosene oil barrel or scalding tub.
The barrel should be cleaned before
using. Fill the barrel half full of
water and dump in this 100 pounds
sulphate of iron. With a common
garden hoe dissolve the sulphate of
iron by forcing the hoe to the bottom
Of the barrel and against the slaves
on the other side and then pulling the
hoe towards you. This up and down
movement violently agitates the So
luton and the sulphate of iron dis
solves in five to seven minutes. Fill
the barrel with water and with the
hoe push off the thick brown scum
which forms on top of the mixture.
When ready to place the solution
in hA of he iT1c chi
be sure to strain it through two
thicknesses of cheese cloth. This
straining will remove any coarse dirt
which may be in the solution and will
greatly lessen the cIogging troubles in
the field while spraying.
This mixture will give a 20 per
cent solution, which is the proper
strength for spraying, and under or
binary circumstances 50 gallons is
sufficient to spray one acre. If, how
ever, you find that your machine puts
on more than 50 gallons of the spray
solution per acre add enough water
when filing to ensure getting over
the acre, but be sure the whole 100
pounds per acre is applied.
The most important point in the
whole operation is the right time to
spray for the value of sulphate of
iron depends entirely upon timely APP
plication. When kale has four
leaves it is ready to spray. When the
kale first appears it has two small
heart-shaped leaves and these are not
counted when the plant is examined
for total number of leaves. When
plants having more than four leaves
are sprayed, the sulphate of iron has
the usual caustic effect, whitening and
blackening the leaves, but the plants
possess enough vitality to send out
new leaves as we'll as a stock which
will produce blossoms
Spraying at the right time will be
effective if other conditions are right
but an application when the kale is
too large will be a failure even if 9TH
er conditions, such as weather, ETC.,
are perfect.
A cloudy day is preferable to a
clear. hot day. Do not spray if rain
is expected in less than II hours. Do
not spray until the rain is off the
plant. Avoid spraying when there is
a heavy wind for it will blow away
the mist which is the most effective
part of the spray. If possible, spray
when there is a probability of heavy
dew following the spraying.
Sulphate of iron may be used with
out injury on the following crops:
Oats, barley, rye millet, wheat and
corn. Some farmers have also re-
ported that fields of oats and peas
mixed were sprayed without injurious
effect. The leaves of the potato and
bean are so similar othose of ka1e
that the sulphate of iron cannot be
used on these crops.