The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-07-03
Correct Preparation and Use OF B0r-
dennx Mixture

for benefit of Somerset County Farm
ers. the following material prepared
by A. X. Gardner, crop specialist on
The correct preparation and use of
Bordeaux mixture.
HEALTHY FOLIAGE ESSENTIAL TO
MAXIMUM YIELDS
For the most part the leaves of
plants furnish the food manufactur-
Ing machinery. The raw materials
are brought To the leaves from the air
and soil and in the presence OF the
green colorlng matter and through
sunlight they are converted into the
food materials necessary to the plants
development In the potato, water
from the soil is combined with carbon
dIoxde from the air and converted
into carbohydrates, one of which,
starch. Is stored abundantly in the
tuber. In order to secure a maxi
mum starch storage as well as a de-
sirable plant development 1t is nee
essary to have clean thrifty foliage.
Lack of green coloring and punctures
IN the leaf surface limit the manufac-
turing power and reduce the yield of
tuDers.
Late blight reduces the potato yield
I'm two ways; first by attacking the
foliage thus reducing its manufactnr-
Ing ability. and second by attacking
the tubers, rendering them unfit for
market purposes.
BORDEAUX MIXTURE BEST FOR
BLIGHT CONTROL
Experiments in Maine and else
where, together with field results,
have demonstrated conclusively that
freshly prepared bordeaux mixture
is superior to all other materials for
the control of late blight and certain
other foliage diseases.
Bordeaux is composed of lime, water
and copper sulphate-also known as
bluestone and blue vitriol. The ac-
tive fungicide is the copper sulphate
and lime is added to prevent foliage
burning which would occur should
copper sulphate be used alone.
The strength that has given the best
results under Maine conditions Is
known as the $3.50 formula or. con-
sdering the fact that most of the
spray tanks are of the 100 gallon
type, the 10-10-100 or 10-13-100 form
u,a depending upon the kind of lime
used 40 pounds of lump or builders
lime Is equivalent to 10 pounds of
hydrated); this means 10 pounds of
copper suIphate, 10 pounds of lime
and 100 gallons of water.
Freshly prepared bordeaux Is not
only more effective, but is cheap and
easily prepared as well. Notwith-
standing the fact that directions for
it's preparation have been published
repeatedly, there are even at present
a large number of growers who per-
sist in futile methods. When made
correctly the two solutions should be
diluted and mixed In proper proper
tons.
The value OF the mixture for spray
ing depends upon the precipitate form
ed by the copper salt and the lime.
In good mixture this precipitate is
very fine, will settle only about 10
pei cent In an hour, will pass through
the spray MOBILES easily, and above
all will completely cover the leaf sur
face. In poor mixture the preci-
plate is coarse, will settle 30 per cent
or more in an hour. may clog-th
spray nozzles and will not complete
ly cover the leaf SURFACE so that
blight spores may gain access. Either
n good or n poor mixture may be pre-
pared with the same materials de-
pending upon the mixing methods.
PROPER MIXING METHODS
/. Small acreage. Dissolve five
pounds of copper sulphate in hot wat
er; when dissolved add water to make
% gallons of solution. In another
barrel Stake five pounds of lump
lime; when slaked add water to make
rs gallons. These two may then be
poured together thru a strainer into
the spray tank, and stirred thorough
ly.
2. Large acreage. Stock solut-
ions: Dissolve 80 pounds of coup
per sulphate, by suspending 1t In a
sack in barrel containing SO gal
Ions of water; adjust the sack so that
the bottom Is submerged few inches
beneath the surface of the water.
Stake so pounds of lime in second
barrel, being careful In shaking to add
sufficient water to prevent burning
but not enough to drown the lime;
when saked add water till the 80
gallon mark Is reachd. These two
solutions will keep indefinitely but
the water lost by evaporation should
be replaced. In these stock solu-
lions one gallon of the lime repre-
sents one pound of lime and one gal
ion of copper sulphate represents
one pound of copper sulphate.
Method 1, with mixing platform: A
great many of the larger growers
have spray mixing platforms and ell
eyated water tanks similar to the one
represented on the cover. In addi-
ton to the platform and water tank
the equipment consists of stock
lime barrel. stock copper sulphate
barrel. dilute copper sulphate solu-
ton barrel, dilute lime solution bar
rel (the two latter provided with hose
attached to pipe in the bottom and
long enough to be thrown over the
top after the spray tank Is flledD
pals and a pump for filling the wat
er tank unless pressure water Is avil-
able. The platform should of course
be high enough for the sprayer to be
driven alongside and easily filled.
In preparing the mixture first dip
10 gallons of stock lime. pour into
the dilute lime solution barrel and
adj 40 gallons of water, then dip 10
gallons of the stock copper sulphate,