If you've considered building one of those rolling carpet-type herbicide sprayers that have stormed the market, you'll be interested in do-it-yourself construction plans which the Canadian Research Center at Centralia College, Huron Park, Ontario, Can., will send "free for the asking" to interested FARM SHOW readers.

Jim O'Toole, crop scientist at the college, says farmer demand for the carpet spray applicator has been great in Ontario. He notes that the machine is particularly good in taking volunteer corn out of soybeans, or tall growing milkweed out of corn, soybeans and other legumes. He and his co-workers have used Roundup at a 6 to 8% solution and Amitrol T (Cytrol) at 10 to 12% to kill other weeds and volunteer corn where it's a problem in soybeans, and in some vegetable crops, such as turnips. "A gallon of either solution will treat 4 to 4 1/2 acres, depending on the number of weeds and weather conditions," O'Toole told FARM SHOW.

Chemical is sprayed evenly on the continuous turning 10-ft. roller through evenly spaced holes and a small copper tube running just above the roller.

The applicator, which costs about $200 to build, is raised and lowered hydraulically to adjust to height of the crop being worked. The roller is powered by a small hydraulic motor at one end. Controls are mounted next to the tractor seat. The chemical tank is mounted in the rear.

"It's very similar to other carpet sprayers on the market. Only difference is that this one is easy to make, easy to fix, and doesn't cost nearly as much," O'Toole points out.

Plans include complete diagrams and a list of everything needed, and approximate costs.