EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 309 



The prepared lime-sulfur mixtures cost the fruit growers between 

 eleven and twelve dollars per barrel of fifty gallons. This is recom- 

 mended for six hundred gallons of spray. The cost would be nearly 

 one dollar per fifty gallons of spray. 



In the usual way of making' the home-made lime-sulfur with the 

 25-15-50 formula, the cost would be about fifty to seventy-five cents 

 per fifty gallons of spray, including labor, fuel, etc., according to the 

 cost of the sulfur. 



One objection to the home-made mixture using the usual formula 

 is that it has to be used soon after it is made and it should not be 

 allowed to get cold. It is also considerable trouble, to say nothing 

 of the impleasant features of handling it, to prepare it, and especially 

 if only a small amount is desired, many persons prefer to purchase 

 the prepared mixtures, even tho they cost considerably more, and it 

 will often be found more economical under such conditions, if one 

 does not have at least a large kettle in which to prepare it. 



CONCENTRATED HOME-MADE MIXTURES. 



It is often convenient to prepare spraying mixtures well in advance 

 of their application and it has been found that altho one made ac- 

 cording to the usual formula which contains an excess of lime should 

 not be allowed to get cold, by changing the formula so as to only have 

 sufficient lime to unite with the sulfur, a mixture can be made which 

 can be placed in barrels and thus kept for a considerable length of 

 time. 



By reducing the amount of lime to ten or twelve pounds for fifteen 

 pounds of sulfur a clear mixture can be made and, in fact, it is only 

 necessary to use eight pounds of lime for the above amount of sulfur. 



The following procedure is suggested for use with a steam plant 

 and it can be employed if only an iron kettle is available by reducing 

 the amounts proportionately: Into a tank holding one hundred or 

 more gallons, which contains fifty gallons of boiling water, place 125 

 pounds of sulfur and then add 70 pounds of stone lime. Turn on the 

 steam and allow it to boil for one hour. In the meantime stir it 

 once or twice if necessary. By this time the sulfur should be almost 

 entirely dissolved. If time is no object, it will be helpful to continue 

 the boiling for another hour. Allow it to stand until the coarse par- 

 ticles have settled and draw off the liquid portion, which can be bar- 

 reled arid kept until needed, when it can be diluted at the rate of 

 one to nine of water, thus making 500 gallons. There will be more or 

 less lime and sulfur in the bottom of the tank but this need not be 

 turned out. Merely add more lime and sulfur in the above proportions 

 and proceed as before. If the lime is of good quality, so that there is 

 but little waste, it will be possible to reduce the amount for each tank 

 full to sixty pounds. In case there is considerable waste lime, it 

 can be placed upon a, coarse screen and the fine particles of lime and 

 sulfur can be washed out and the coarse lumps of lime can then be 

 thrown away. 



If prepared as recommended, the lime-sulfur solution will test about 

 25° with a Beaunie hydrometer and when diluted one to nine will com- 



