this nozzle, the liquid, on entering the chamber, first issues from the central orifice exactly as in the Riley type and is diffused at the outset in a diverging cone-shaped spray; but the pressure of the whirling liquid rising into the upper chamber forces itself around the valve-like disk d, and depressing it, partially issues around the outer rim of the disk in a converging cone of spray, thus interfering with the discharge from the central orifice. It is claimed that this tends to greater diffusion and admits of the passage of a larger quantity of the liquid.

In the Roth sprayer the air-pump, which is placed above the reservoir, is of the Nines type, the piston operating with an alternating circular movement.

(3) Sprayers consisting of a reservoir which communicates by a rubber tube with a hydronette or syringe which the operator manipulates while moving along. In this category may be classed the apparatus presented by Bourdil, Japy, and Pepin.

The excellent Bourdil sprayer invented within the last few years and known under the name Pilter-Bourdil, manufactured by Th. Pilter, of Paris, is herewith illustrated. (Fig. 66.)

M. Bourdil, the inventor of the sprayer, after considerable experiment became convinced that the sulphate of copper employed against the mildew should be projected with considerable force and in comparatively large drops against the vines, to agitate the leaves and allow their being entirely moistened on both surfaces. The apparatus devised after much experiment consists of a simple reservoir to be strapped to the back of the operator and a pump in the form of a syringe. The nozzle consists of a nickled brass rod terminated by

a circular cap and inclosed by a rubber sheath. The liquid, passing in a sheet about the rod, strikes the sharp edge of the cap and is broken up into a conical spray.

By employing sheaths of varying size one can modify at will the fineness of the spray, and by placing metallic clasps on the sheath the amount of the spray can be readily regulated. The elasticity of the rubber prevents clogging, and this substance is also not affected or injured by the Bordeaux mixture.

(4) In this group may be classed the machines of Yvert and Blouctet.

The sprayer of M. Yvert consists of two vertical vessels bound together; the smaller comes directly against the back of the operator and contains the liquid to be sprayed; the other is a large air reservoir. A metallic tube provided with a stopcock connects the two reservoirs. The liquid is placed in the smaller reservoir, and the air in the larger is compressed by means of a separate air pump, which is provided with a pressure gauge, and connects with the air chamber above described by means of a rubber tube. One pump will suffice for several sprayers. At each charging of the sprayers forty or fifty strokes of the piston are necessary, but once charged the apparatus works continuously until the liquid is exhausted.

The Blouctet sprayer (a very primitive one) consists of a simple wooden tank or vessel to contain the liquid. A rubber tube leads from the bottom of the tank to the spraying device, which is a wooden tube or nozzle with a brush covering the discharge orifice. The liquid by its own weight flows against the brush and is broken up into drops of greater or less size.

In general the sprayers worked very well. Almost all were provided with some modification or other of the Riley nozzle, either with or without a degorging pin. Of these the Vermorel, Japy, and Noël modifications have already been alluded to. In several of the sprayers the nozzles were capable of being revolved so as to project the spray in different directions.

The following data relating to the weight and capacity of these implements may be of interest:

The price of these sprayers varies from 27 to 50 francs.

The working of the first group of implements with a pump direct when there is no compression reservoir is not very regular. In fact, the pressure is almost nothing at the end of the stroke of the piston, attaining its maximum about the middle of the stroke. A short quick stroke, learned by experience, is required to produce the best results.

With the syringe style of pumps the action is intermittent, but very energetic, and there is danger with a long piston of its bending, thus rendering the implement worthless.

With the air-pump sprayers the thorough mixing is assured without recourse to any special mechanism, the spray is regular, and it is not necessary for the operator to pump continuously.

Economy in the use of the liquid is not very essential, as the sulphate of copper and the lime are of insignificant cost, and the necessity of producing machines at a low price to insure their sale among the French vineyardists prevents the manufacture of more carefully constructed, and at the same time more expensive, machines.

The reservoirs are of brass, red copper, or sheet lead. The two former are preferred. Brass is more rigid and less easily injured than copper, the use of which slightly increases the cost of the apparatus. In the Vigneau sprayer a slab of cork protects the back of the operator from the cold liquid contained in the reservoir.

The majority of the sprayers treat but one row of vines at a time, some few spraying two or more rows.

It is not necessary to dwell at great length on the two powder blowers entered at the trials. That of M. Langlois is an ingeniously arranged bellows. The current of air passes into the box containing the powdered sulphur, in which is a sliding pulverizer to break up lumps that may occur. A special arrangement is made to prevent the powder being drawn into the bellows during inspiration, and a sort of nozzle at the extremity of the discharge pipe causes the powder to spread out into a cloud.

The sulphur blower for extensive work of M. Vermorel, called "la torpille" (the torpedo), resembles a knapsack sprayer somewhat. The reservoir or box will contain 10 kilos of powder. A sort of slide valve regulates the distributions. The bellows is worked by a lever attached above, to which is hung a handle rod.

The traction sprayer of Vermorel referred to in first part of this chapter consists of a copper reservoir of a capacity of about one hectoliter mounted on an axle turned by the two carrying wheels. The axle works two diaphragm pumps like the one described in connection with the Vermorel knapsack sprayer. The liquid is driven through two vertical tubes, each provided with three nozzles. The use of shafts and horse to draw the apparatus allows of its being employed only when the rows of vines are quite widely separated.

The awards resulting from the trials of this class were as follows, but my own judgment would have differed from that of the jury, which did not sufficiently appreciate the work of the Vermorel machines:

Object of Art-Noël, Paris, France.

Gold Medal-Bourdil, Paris, France.

Silver Medal-Lasmolle-Fréchou, Nérac, France. Japy frères, Beaucourt.

The entire absence of American machines is to be regretted, and particularly of those intended for extended work. In the smaller or hand machines the French probably excel other countries. The exhibit of insecticide apparatus in connection with the United States Department of Agriculture is described in part in another portion (Chapter XVII and Appendix v) of this report.

THE INTERNATIONAL TRIAL OF MOWERS AND HARVESTERS AND HAY-PRESSES.

The special trial of Group 5 of agricultural machines, comprising the mowers, reapers, and binding reapers, and also portable hay and straw presses was held on the 19th, 20th, 21st and 22d of July, on the ferme de Noisiel, which Mme. Menier had placed at the disposition of the commission for the trial of various agricultural machines, and on which the trials of drills and distributers of fertilizers had already taken place.

Fifty machines took part in the trials: 22 mowers, 7 simple reapers, 2 combined reapers and mowers, 12 binding reapers, 7 forage presses.

THE BINDING REAPERS.

In point of general interest, the trial of the binding reapers was by far the most successful of all the trials of agricultural machines held in connection with the Exposition. A large concourse of people were attracted to the trials, including the President of the French Republic, M. Carnot, and a host of ministerial and official celebrities. The representatives of the foreign sections exhibiting at the Exposition were all present, and among them Gen. Franklin, the United States Commissioner. The Americans were present in force and manifested no little enthusiasm over the success of the American competitors. A special review of binders, reapers, and mowers was held for President Carnot and his suite, and the day was closed with a grand banquet.

In the field trials of the Universal Exposition for 1878 there were but four entries of binding reapers, and these were all from the United States. The very considerable increase in the manufacture of these machines in 1889, as compared with 1878, was evidenced in

the greater number of competitors, representing the United States, Canada, and France. The following is a list of entries:

Walter A. Wood, Hoosic Falls, New York, United States.

McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Johnston Harvester Company, Batavia, New York, United States.

Samuel Johnston & Co., Brockport, New York, United States.

D. M. Osborne & Co., Auburn, New York, United States.

Massey Company, Toronto, Canada.

Harris & Sons Co., Brantford, Ontario.
Pécard Brothers, Nevers, France.

Hurtu, Nangis, France.

A. B. Albaret, Liancourt-Rantigny, France.

The two latter of the French machines are copies of the McCormick. The first trial was in cutting wheat, each machine having a plot drawn for by lot. The plots were in some cases unequal as to the state of grain, Wood and McCormick meeting with plots badly lodged in certain places. In the afternoon of the 19th the binders worked in oats, and again the Wood and McCormick met with lodged plots. The best work was made by the Wood, Massey, and McCormick machines.

W. A. Wood exhibited and worked-but not in competition-a binder which employed straw as the binding material. It was a most ingenious machine and worked very well, and will be described further on in connection with the more particular mention of the several binders. On the 22d, in the dynamo-metrical trials, the following binders were tested : W. A. Wood, McCormick, Albaret, Hurtu, and Johnston Harvester Company.

The dynamo-metrical tests were carried out by Professor Ringlemann with a dynamometer, devised by himself, of peculiar merit. These experiments showed that the force required to move the machines was from 64 to 85 kilos, giving a mean of 77 kilos. The traction with the various parts in motion, but not handling grain, ranged from 104 to 132 kilos, giving a mean of about 118 kilos. The draft, with the machines in full work, cutting grain, was from 164 to 189 kilos, giving a mean of about 173 kilos.

The following statement of the weights of the machines, together with the width cut by each, will be interesting in this connection.