250 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2-3 EDWARD VII., A. 1903 



EXPERIMENTS TO TEST THE VALUE OF BUG DEATH AS COMPARED 

 WITH PARIS GREEN AND BORDEEAUX AND PARIS GREEN 



ON POTATOES. 



The object of this experiment was to test the value of Bug Death as a useful 

 material to kill the potato bug, as compared with Paris green and to test its fungicidal 

 value as compared with Bordeaux mixture. 



Three plots one-eighth of an acre each were laid out, one Avas sprayed with Paris 

 green and water at the rate of A pound of Paris green to 40 gallons of water, to which 

 was added one gallon lime water ; one with Bordeaux mixture and Paris green, made 

 by using 4 pounds of blue stone, 4 lbs. of unslacked lime, ^ lb. of Paris green and 40 

 gallons of water, and one with Bug Death, 5 lbs. being dusted on at each application, 

 three applications were made, one on July 12, one July 24 and one Aug. 14. There 

 was no blight this season consequently its effect as a fungicide could not be ascertained. 



The ground was similar to that on which the potato plots were situated, and received 

 the same treatment. The Delaware potato was the variety used in this test The follow- 

 ing yields per acre were obtained. 



Bordeaux mixture and Paris green 



Bug Death 



Paris green 



Marketable, 



Bush. Lbs. 



363 

 370 

 367 



25 

 25 

 30 



Unmarket- 

 able. 



Bush. Lbs. 



43 

 46 

 36 



45 

 40 

 10 



Total. 



Bush. Lbs. 



407 

 417 

 403 



10 



5 



40 



The Paris green was put on in the form of a spray and at the rate of two forty -gallon 

 casks per acre at each application. Three-quarters of a pound of Paris green was used 

 to each cask of water. This would make 1| lbs. of Paris green per acre at each 

 application and for the three applications 4| lbs. at 25 cts. per pound would total 

 $1.13 per acre as the cost of material on the Paris green plots. 



The Bordeaux mixture was used also at the rate of two forty-gallon casks per acre at 

 each application. The cost of material for each application would be : — 8 lbs. Blue stone 

 at 7c. per lb., 56c. ; 8 lbs. Rock lime at Ic. per lb., 8c. and 1| lbs. of Paris green at 

 25 cts. per lb., 38 cts. making a total cost of $1.02 per acre for each application. Three 

 applications at $1.02 would make a total cost of $3.06 per acre for Bordeaux used. 

 This material was sprayed on the plants. 



The application of Bug Death made, was as effective in killing the bugs as Paris 

 green. For killing bugs alone two applications of Bug Death proved sufficient. The 

 third application was made to determine its efficiency as a fungicide. There was no 

 blight, consequently its value in this respect could not be determined. 



Three applications of Bug Death at the rate of 40 lbs. per aci-e at each time made a 

 total of 120 lbs. per acre. This material is sold at the rate of $7 per 100 lb. keg. This 

 would make a cost of $8.40 per acre for the Bug Death used in this experiment. The 

 Bug-Death was put on dry with a duster and our experience would indicate that it is 

 difficult to dust the plants thoroughly with a less amount than 40 pounds per acre at 

 one time. 



Two applications of Paris green proved sufficient to kill the bugs this season and 

 the third application was given in order to make the number of applications for each 

 plot uniform. The cost of putting on these materials was practically the same in each 

 case. 



