Vol. 15—1961 - NorthEastern Weed Science Society

462.
'. 1.
A. 200 ga'l Lons of' water per acre
B. We would try for a 40 foot swath
C. 8 pounds of active maleic hydrazide per acre
The gun was manually controlled and the distribution was obtained
by a sweeping motion with the gun. The results of this
test were unsatisfactory because of the uneven distribution of
the material. It Was necessary to mow the grass in this area
to a height of four inches. To now ten acres of this turf required
four men, working an eight hour day and a five day week,
fovr weeks or 640 man hours. After the completion of the
mowing operation, and in desperation, again we treated the area
with a growth inhibitor. This time a high pressure spray gun
was not used. Instead, we used the conventional nozzle for a
hydro~seeder~ the orifice of which Is one inch inside diameter.
However, it had one modification. To this nozzle 'a one inch
wide steel strip, apprOXimately 12 inches long, was fastened.
The strip extended in front of the nozzle for about 7 inches.
ThS last two inches of the steel strip was bent at about a
30 angle. With a pressure of 180 pounds, this modified
nozzle gave us a 60 foot spray pattern. The water particles
were well broken up but heavy enough so that a speed of 5
miles an hour had no effect on the spray pattern. These slopes
were then treated using 200 gellons of water per acre, 8 pounds
active maleic hydraZide per acre, and with the truck traveling
at a speed of 5 miles per hour. The spray gun now was held
rigidly in place by the operator. The slopes were treated in
twenty minutes. Observations noted two weeks after treatment
were a uniform browning off of the slopes. Growth had been'
inhibited. The browning off lasted for about a week longer,
When color started to come back into the turf. This area
was treated in July and no significant growth has occurred
to this date.
This more or less concludes the work that we have
done with methods of application. We have laid out test plots
this fall varying the rates of maleic hydraZide between 4, 6
and 10 pounds active material per acre. Studies have been
laid out to detemine the amount of water necessary for an .
even distribution of material. The ra,tes used·are at 10; 2(}
and 50 gallons or water per acre. In the spring or 1961, the
hydro-seeder will be modified so that 20 g$11ons of water per
acre can be distributed with nozzles mounted on the side of the
truck and operated by the driver from within the. cab. This .
unit will be used to treat the ninety miles of. grass median on
the Turnpike. The nozzles will be set to cover 7 to 25 foot
swaths. This median will also be treated wtth fertilizer and