The midland journal., 1917-07-06
USE Of SPRAY
MIXTURES URGED
viii Greatly LessenL LossesF From
Plant Diseases.
MUST BE PROPERLY MIXED
MUST BE PROPERLY MIXED
Some Practical Directions Given For
Preparing Lime-Sulphur and
Bordeaux Mixture.


precautions to prevent the appear
ance and spread of disease. Forum
ately, most diseases can bs prevented
or checked by two or three simple
spray mixtures that can be prepared
and applied by the growe'. In warn
ing issued by the Maryland Agricul-
tural Extension Service, through its
county demonstration agents, G. e.
Temple, State Plant Pathologist, gives
some most practical directions regard
ing the home preparation of spray
mixtures. Prof. Temple says: Every
year, thousands Of dollars worth OF
food materials in our State are de-
stroyed by plant diseases and insects.
This great loss can be cut down at a
relatively small cost by the use of ap-
proved precautionary methods, such as
the selection of seed free from disease,
the rotation of crops and the spraying
for both diseases and insects.
x Directions for making the more
hportant fungicides are given below:
self-Boiled Lime-suIphur.
"This material is used for the con-
troll of rot and seab on stone fruits,
such as peaches, plums and cherries.
1t is composed Of: a.
"Flowers of Sulphur (finely ground)
8 pounds.
"stone Lime of good quality 8
pounds
water, so gallons.
ITO make this spray material, start
the lime to shaking in f1fty-gallon
container with little water, using
hot water if the lime acts slowly. AS
soon as the lime begins to slake rap
idly, add the sulphur and stir contin-
uously Add just enough water from
time to time to keep the mixture in
the form of thin paste and to allow
the mixture to boil violently from
three to five minutes. At the end OF
this time, fill the container with cold
water so as to prevent any further
action of the lime The mixture is
now ready to strain into the spray
tank Larger quantities may be made
in the case of commercial orchardists,
but greater care will be required to
prevent the mixture from becoming
too hot, in which case the sulphur will
be dissolved and there will be red
scum formed on the surface after the
mixture has been allowed to stand for
a few minutes. This red material will
injure the foliage and fruits of peaches
and plums When applying this spray,
good agitation is essential.
"As a substitute for this homemade
spray material atomic sulphur, which
is commercial product, may be used
at the rate of Ave pounds to 80 gal
Ions of water.
Concentrated Lime-SuIphur.
"This material is usually purchased
" in the concentrated form which usu-
ally tests 80 to "a degrees Baume
scale. This solution when diluted to
one part to 40 parts of water, makes
a good fungicide for spraying apples,
pears and ounces for various flung
GUS diseases.
Bordeaux Mixture.
"This is the standard spray for
truck crops, potatoes, tomatoes, grapes
and for apples in the case of bitter rot
and blotch. The material is made
from:
cooper Sulphate (Bluestone), 4
pounds.
"Stone Lime of good quality, 4
pounds.
Water, so gallons.
I'm making the spray material dis
solve the bluestone by suspending it
in a bag near the surface of few
gallons of water contained in wooden
or earthen vessel Slake the lime and
add several gallons of water so as to
make milk of lime. Strain the blue
stone solution into the spray tank and
add enough water to make from 20
to 80 gallons. Then strain the milk
of lime into the barrel, agitating the
mixture vigorously. Add water to
make so gallons and use Immediately.
The secret in making good Bordeaux
is to have the bluestone and the milk
of lime fairly well diluted before put
ting them together and then while they
are being brought together they should
be stirred continuously. If concen
trated solutions are put together, a
very poor grade of Bordeaux is the
result.
! "Stock solutions may be made by
NdissolVing bluestone the rate of one
pound per gallon of water. Slake the
lime and dilute to one pound to the
gallon. These will keep indefinitely
II kept separate, but they should be
covered to keep the water from evap
Grating. When using them, mix ac
cording to the formula above. Pre-
pared Bordeaux, both dry and paste
Is on the market and may be substi