The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-02-07
sPRAYIMs INFORMATION
North Yakima, Jan. 20, 1906

Inc Ilme Is uTdWluS near Tor us
to begin to think of spraying for the
San Jose scale. In the past some
growers who have not sprayed for
this most troublesome pest have had
poor success in discriminating the
scale. We find that as we advance in
knowledge it has been the lack of
knowing just how to prepare the
spraying liquid, and, in some cases,
Just how to apply the same.
However, l can say that it has not
been the fault of the orchardists al
together, but rather the fault of
those that have tried to teach us how
to prepare the spraying solution with
which we have had to work. We
have not realized the fact that it is
very necessary that we should pre-
pare the lime and sulphur solution
in a very careful manner and we
have not realized that it would make
any difference in the solution If we
did boil the lime and sulphur longer
than was necessary to produce the
true chemical compound.
/ learned while at Pullman last
week in attendance at the fruit in
spectors' institute that to boil the So
luton longer than is necessary to
produce the true chemical mixture is
very damaging to the solution; and
to boil it much longer than is neces-
sary renders the same practically
worthless. 1t will not produce the
desired effect on the scale.
When you get ready to spray re-
member to first Stake the lime by
pouring the water slowly over the
lime. just enough to slake it and pre-
vent it from burning while it is slak-
ing. Do not cover the lime with
water while it is shaking, for if you
do you will drown the lime so much
that it will not all Stake. Then you
can put into your boiling vat say 20
pounds of lime, 20 pounds of sui
pAuI anu dUOuI SdlAOAS VI NdlSA
and bring it to boiling point. After
it has reached this point let it boil
for about As minutes. When the So
luton becomes of an amber color
and the sulphur quits floating the
true chemical mixture takes place.
You must not boil it beyond this
point; if you do the solution loses
its effect. Now, add to this SO gal
Ions more water, which will make rs
gallons; then bring it to the boiling
point, when the solution is ready for
use.
The spray is known as the Piper
solution, which is one pound of sui
phur and one pound of lime to 31a
gallons of water. This is not all; do
not prepare any more of this solution
than you can use in spraying out the
same day. If you prepare a batch
Of this solution and let it stand over
night, even If you do heat it up be-
fore you commence work in the
morning, it will be practically worth
less. 1t loses it's strength almost
entirely by standing over night. The
above facts were tried and tested at
Pullman, so don't say, "Well, / don't
believe such stuff" and have your
own ideas. If you do you will find
that you will become afflicted with
that dreaded disease known as
theory" Many of our prominent
men are now suffering with the same
disease, and the only known remedy
is the medicine called practical
medicine"
When you commence spraying this
spring, for your own good and the
good Of the community, tear out the
agitator that is in your pump and
make a dash or use a common gar
den hoe, and keep your solution well
and thoroughly agitated by churn-
ing your solution frequently.
As my article is becoming some
what lengthy will let up for the
present. and will say something
about other sprays through the col
umns Of the newspapers later. Let
us all join in the good work and
show ourselves how completely we
can exterminate the fruit pests.
There is one very important point
that I had overlooked, and that is
this: Don't slake your lime with hot
water, as 1t will weaken It; 1t will
do no harm to slake It with warm
water J. M. Brown,
County Horticultural Inspector.