MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 191O. 425 



sary to strain the milk of lime solution after slaking.* This 

 is best clone in making the dilution by using a separate barrel 

 for this purpose and using the dilution water to wash the ma- 

 terial through the strainer. If the lime is of good quality and 

 well slaked most of it will pass through the strainer, but with 

 the best there will be a slight residue which may be thrown 

 away. If arsenate of lead is to be added to the bordeaux as 

 an insect poison the required quantity may be wet up and 

 washed through the strainer with the lime. 



When ready to use the mixture, the dilute lime and copper 

 sulphate solutions are quickly mixed together and thoroughly 

 stirred. This may be done by rapidly dipping up a pailful of 

 one and then a pailful of the other solution and pouring into 

 the mixing or spray tank while a second person agitates the 

 mixture. Never pour concentrated milk of lime and copper 

 sulphate solutions together. The above procedure is recom- 

 mended only where a single barrel or at the most only a few^ 

 barrels of spray mixture are needed at a time. Where any 

 quantity of bordeaux is required stock solutions and, if possible, 

 the elevated mixing paltform should be resorted to. 



Stock solutions. When lime and copper sulphate are com- 

 bmed in the form of bordeaux the mixture should be used with 

 as little delay as possible on account of deterioration. On the 

 other hand, as long as the solutions are kept separate and cov- 

 ered to keep out rain and to prevent evaporation they may be 

 stored for an indefinite period. Hence concentrated stock solu- 



* The most satisfactory strainer that the writers have ever used is 

 constructed as follows: Make a box about 12-15 inches long, without 

 ends and just small enough to slide easily inside the top of the dilution 

 barrel. Then one end of the box is sawed off at a considerable angle, 

 making one side much shorter than the other. No. 50 brass wire strainer 

 cloth is then tacked securely over this end. (Pieces of discarded wire 

 screen cloth used on the machines in paper mills are excellent for this 

 purpose but are of somewhat finer mesh). Two pieces of board about 

 2 inches wide, and long enough to reach across the top of the barrel 

 are then nailed to the sides close to the other end. The completed strainer 

 is then placed in the top of the dilution barrel with the wire bottom 

 down and the two cross pieces extending across the top of the barrel 

 and serving as supports, With a little care such a screen never troubles 

 with clogging as the wire bottom is placed at such an angle that the 

 solid particles are continually washed to the lower side of the screen 

 leaving the remainder unclogged. 



