—Lancaster Farming. Saturday, April 23, 1977 108 Improperly timed sprayer may The key to efficient use of herbicides is to apply them at the rate needed. By applying too little herbicide, poor weed control can occur, often resulting in a loss of yield. Applications of herbicides above recommended rates, on the other hand, will increase the possibility of crop injury, in addition to wasting valuable herbicide dollars. Growers should beware, though. Even if you follow the label instructions, you may not be getting correct her bicide application. According to Stauffer Chemical Company agronomist. Dr. Douglas R. Murphy, an im properly calibrated sprayer that is not in top working condition can rob the grower of his potential yield and waste herbicides, too. There are several components of the sprayer that Dr. Murphy suggests growers should check regularly. The most important of these are the pump, agitation system, pressure regulator, and the nozzle tips. The most commonly used pumps on herbicide sprayers are the roller pump and the centrifugal pump. Both of these have their advantages as well as their drawbacks. Roller pumps have three distinct advantages: they are relatively inexpensive, their upkeep is fairly easy, and they will operate efficiently at tractor PTO speeds. However, the rollers of the pump can wear and will have to be replaced after continued use., Abrasive materials like wettable powders and limestone can cause extensive wear. Thse materials should be avoided in roller, gear, vane, or other rotary-type pumps. T The primary advantage of centrifugal pumps is that abrasives can safely be used in them, as well as, diaphram or squeeze hose pumps. Another advantage of The Pump centrifugal pumps is that they can deliver high volumes of liquid at relatively low pressures. Centrifugal pumps require a high speed power source and, in most cases, will not operate efficiently at tractor PTO speeds. Some type of speed-up mechanism, like belts and pulleys, or gears, is required to increase the speed of the PTO to the speed of the pump. Agitation System Constant agitation is necessary in the spray tank to insure an evenly mixed herbicide. Without sufficient agitation, herbicides can settle to the bottom of the tank causing uneven application - the spray mixture coming from the top of the tank will not contain enough herbicide to control weeds, while the bottom part of the tank will contain a higher concentration of herbicide which can cause crop injury. ' To mix herbicides properly, thorough, yet moderate agitation is needed. Do not use excessive agitation when tank mixing several chemicals as it may cause one of the chemicals to settle out and set up in the spray tank. Most herbicides are compatible with each other and the various carriers, including liquid fertilizers. If there is any doubt about compatibility of a particular com bination, however, always check it out with small quantities before tank mixing. Pressure Regulator Proper agitation in the spray tank produces an even herbicide application. Continuous herbicide application, on the other hand, is insured by the pressure regulator. A faulty pressure regulator will cause inconsistent weed control in much the same way as insufficient agitation does. By increasing or decreasing the‘pressure, the volume of herbicide applied will be increased or decreased. A pressure regulator in top working condition is essential for maintaining a constant delivery of the spray mixture. Nozzle Tip Identification There are many different types of nozzle tips which deliver various types of spray patterns. The three major categories of nozzles are flat spray, cone spray, and flood spray nozzles. There are two basic types of flat spray nozzles: flat fan and even spray. The first is designed for broadcast ap- rob crop yields plications and has an “F” designation. The spray of the adjacent flat tan nozzles must overlap for even distribution. An “E” designation applies to even spray nozzles designed for band spraying. It delivers an equal amount of herbicide across the spray pattern. Both types of nozzles work best at a pressure of about 30 psi. Cone spray nozzles are designed to operate at higher pressures than flat spray nozzles to produce fine spray droplets. There are two general classes of cone nozzles; hollow cone and solid cone, both of which have large orifices to reduce clogging. The solid cone nozzle mainly operates at extremely high pressures and is best suited for insecticide applications. Operating efficiently at a pressure range of 30 to 50 psi, the hollow cone nozzle delivers a small volume of spray well suited to post emergence applications. The most popular kind of hollow (Continued on Page 1091 HOG PRODUCERS! Your Hogs jMV New Holland Get Top Price for Sold in sorted lots the auction way. See them weighed and sold and pick up your check. SALE EVERY MONDAY 8:00 A.M. NEW HOLLAND SALES STABLES, INC. . Phone 717-354-4341 Daily Market Report Phone 717-354-7288 Abe Diffenbach, Manager CALL YOUR LOCAL DEALER THOMAS DUNLAP R 1 Jersey Shore. PA 717-753-3196 » , JIM CHASE Dushore • 717-924-3757 * RDI New Holland. PA * 717-354-7889 CAMPBELLS SALES A SERVICE McAlistemlle, PA 717-463-2191 GEORCE LAWTON SaSwroTro 717-724-3015 BILL HANSEL Knocksville, PA 814-326-4586 RUSS SMELTZER Centre Hail, PA 814-364-9353 HUGES BROS. RO Lajose or Newburj, PA Clearfield Co. 814-277-6401 R 3 Chambersburg. PA 17201 MECKLEY-DALMATIA. INC. baimaba, PA 17017 717-758-3021 CAW EQUIPMENT CO. Carlisle. PA 17b17 717-243-4419 Box 357 CLAPPER FARM SERVICE Alexandria. PA 16611 814-669-9015 ERB I HENRY EQUIPMENT INC. 2226 Henry Ave New Berlmville, PA 19545 215-367-2169 HINES EQUIPMENT CO. Box 5, Rt 22 West Cresson, PA 16630 814-886-4183 RAY ZIMMERMAN Turbotmlle. PA (717) 649-5430 LESTER BOLL RDI Littz. Pa (717) 626-6198 WILLIAM F. 6UHL SB Oxford. PA (717)529-2569
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers