Mexico weekly ledger., 1893-03-30
Garden, Farm andFie|d..
BY JOHN j. GILL.
Spraying.

1t is generally conceded among
orchardists and gardeners that sound
fruits and vegetables can be OBJ
tanned only tby persistent destruc-
ton of the insects and parasites that
prey upon them. 1t seems that
nature intended that fruits and veg
etables should support insect and
fungoid as well as animal life and if
the former are permitted to have
their way they will either consume
or destroy the most if not the whole
of them. To prevent this, constant
war for their destruction must be
waged. Experience has taught that
spraying, with poisonous mixtures,
is the most expeditions method of
exterminating them, and as the ca
son is at hand when this ought to
be commenced it is seemingly prop
er to direct attention at this time to
the best ways of applying them.
The mixtures most generally and
successfully used on trees, vines
and plants r Bordeaux, London
Purple, Paris Green, Blue Stone,
Kerosine, Carbolic and soap. The
Bordeaux mixture consists of one
pound of blue yitriol and one pound
of freshly slaked lime dissolved and
mixed in two gallons of water to
which ten gallons more water must
be added when the vitriol and lime
are thoroughly combined. Some
successful hortieulturalists recon-
mend a stronger mixture made of
six pounds of sulphate of copper,
four pounds of lime and twenty-five
gallons of water. A still stronger
formula is sixteen pounds sulphate
of copper (blue vitriol), thirty
pounds of lime and twenty-eight
gallons of water. ANY of these for
mulas may be reduced by adding
more water according to the use
made OF them. London Purple and
Paris Green r used in the proper
tons of the pound to from one hun
dred and sixty to two hundred and
fifty gallons of water according to
requirements. They are applied
separately o. with the Bordeaux
mixture in the proportion of one
pound to one hundred and sixty
gallons that compound. Kerosine
Emulsion is made by dissolving
half a pound of hard soap in two
quarts of boiling water and adding
thereto one gallon of Kerosine. 1t
may be diluted to any desired
strength, the one most used being
one part of the emulsion to ten or
twelve parts of water. Six pounds
of Blue stone are usually dissolved
in sixteen gallons of water and four
pounds Of lime in six gallons but
not in iron vessels. Carbolic mix
ture is made by stirring soap shay
ings into water until they make
strong suds and adding a small
quantity Of carbolic acid. This is
recommended for bugs on cabbages
but care must be had not to make
it too strong. These mixtures are
best applied by force pumps affixed
to a barrel on a wagon or sled
through hose fitted with nozzles that
will produce fine and copious spray.
And as neither London Purple nor
Paris Green dissolve perfectly in
water they ought to be kept in sus-
pension by agitation while being ap-
piled. This can be best done by a
pump having a return attachment
by means of which a portion of the
discharged liquid is forced back
into the barrel to disturb the mix
turef and keep the poison and water
combined. For apple scab, blight,
rot, mildew and other fungus use
the Bordeaux mixture. The proper
time to commence is just before the
leaves open. 1t will be well to re-
member that the Bordeaux mixture
is Is much a preventative as cure
and hal often its best results are
not noticeable until the second
season after its application. For
tent caterpillar, canker worm, cur
culio, apple moths and other insects
use London Purple or Paris Green
in the proportion of one pound to
100 gallons Of water. Spraying
with one of these should commence
as soon as most of the blossoms have
fallen and be repeated when small