Vol. 15—1961 - NorthEastern Weed Science Society

510.
Hardwood oontrol within the limit of penetration
" ,
of the sprar, iso
feet downwind and SOfeet against the wind, was uniformly good on all pltJltis.
Damageto softwood was light, but the distance of penetration was disappointilte;
so it was decided to test other more portable machines the next year.
The truck..mounted machine merits further trial, however, because it requires
far less physical effort to operate than the other maohines tested, and it
will throw the spray three times higher than can the small portable machines
currently available. If well protected, the machine could travel on or
behind a tractor and go most anywhere in the forests.' .
,casT
-
No reliable cost data could be determined because the tests were
aocomplished in a little over an hour and the crew was inexperienced in
this kind of work. '
THESHOULDER·MOUNTED MISTBLGiERS
Twoshoulder-mounted mist blowers' of Dutch manufaotUre, weighing 31
pounds empty, were tested from August 12 to August 20 in 1958. These
machines could blow mist to a height of 20 feet .1n still air. By holding
the nozzles still and letting the air ~~ream build up, 30 feet of height
penetration could be achieved. In nor_l operating situations, '2tgallona
of spray material were delivered in 30 minutes by each"maohine. Three men
sprayed ninety ...six acres in five days employing the two ma-ohines.
SPRAYMIXTURES
Twospray mixtures were usea in the shoulder-mounted maohine tests
August 12 to August 20, 1956. One pound 2,4, 5~os 'acid equiValent in 2~
gallons of ruel oil was applied at the rate of,2i gallons per &dre for most
of the tests. One test using Kuron in place of 2, 4, 5-0S was made. Fuel
oil only was used as a carrier for the herbicide to simplify mixing. One
pound acid equivalent per acre was found 'adequate to oontrol hardwoods in
the 1957 truck-mounted lIlist blower teste and. in pre"rious aerial tes,ts by
others. This low rate was .lao used so that conifers which might be caught
directly in the blast of spray would not be severely injured.
from
MEtHODOF A.PPLICATION
In the 1958 tests, two shoulder mOWltedmist blowers with detachable
spray tanks were used by twQ,men operating as a 'team~ A third man seryioed
the machines, replaced empty spray tanks. with full ones" r.,fuelea the motors
when neoessary, ,started thenl it"they stalled, and packed tiv.-sallon cans ot
spray mixture from the truok' to strateg:L~ locations in the forest for filling
the spray tanks. This team'organization made for efficiency and kept the
machines operating most of the time. It· was ~ot, unpleasant work since the .
loaded machines weighed SOpoUnds and the air was full of fine drifting oily
mist. Some spray mat.er18.l carp.ein oontac.t. with the skin, but 'Do,irr.l:tations
occurred.