310 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



An examination of the results given in column three of the above 

 table shows that the amount of soluble sulfur is very nearly the same 

 in all cases (1B-2B-3B) where the amount of lime was increased 

 sufficiently so as to give the same amount of calcium oxide in each case 

 and maintain the ratio of 1 to 2 between the calcium oxide and sulfur. 



The greatest variation in total sulfur is only 0.2 per cent. 



From these results we must conclude that the magnesium oxide does 

 not effect the amount of sulfur going into solution providing enough 

 of the lime is used so that the ratio of one part of calcium oxide to two of 

 sulfur is maintained. It is not good economy, however, to buy lime high 

 in magnesium oxide because more of it must be used and the greater 

 the amount of magnesia the greater will be the amount of sludge, other 

 things being equal. Either of the two formulae (GO pounds lime 125 

 pounds sulfur and GO gallons water or 50 pounds lime, 100 pounds sulfur 

 and 50 gallons water) may be recommended, but in all cases it is sug- 

 gested that an approximate analysis of the lime to be used, be obtained 

 from the manufacturer, and such an amount of it taken that the ratio 

 between the calcium oxide and sulfur shall be as one to two. 



The lime should be freshly burned stone lime or hydrated lime as free 

 as possible from other impurities, such as sand, iron, etc. When hy- 

 drated lime is used the quantity should be increased by approximately 

 one half. 



AN EXPERIMENT TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF STORING THE LIME-SULFUR 

 SOLUTION IN CONTACT WITH THE SEDIMENT. 



It has been claimed by many and particularly by some manufacturers 

 that if the lime sulfur solution is stored for any length of time in contact 

 with the sediment a deterioration of the solution takes place due 

 to a separation of some of the sulfur compounds in the form of crystals. 



In making the lime-sulfur solution on the farm it is advisable and 

 often quite necessary to get the greater part of it made up before the rush 

 of the spring work comes on and as it is practically impossible to make 

 a satisfactory separation of the solution and sediment without the aid 

 of a rather costly filter press, due to the nature of the sediment, the 

 following experiment was undertaken to find out, whether or not, the 

 sediment does cause a deterioration in the solution. For this purpose 

 several samples of lime-sulfur solution were made up, analyzed and al- 

 lowed to stand for periods varying from four to seven weeks and again 

 analyzed. For the sake of comparison, filtered portions of each sample 

 were set aside under the same conditions. The results are given in the 

 following table and the samples designated lA, 2A, etc., are the analyses 

 of the original solutions. IB, 2B, etc., are the analyses of the solutions 

 that have stood in contact with the sediment. IC, 2G, etc., are the an- 

 alyses of the corresponding filtered solutions. Samples 1, 3, 5 and 7 were 

 made according to the formula G0-125-G0 and the samples 2, 4, 6 and 8 

 according to the formula 50-100-50. 



