170 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



PREPARATION OF SPRAY MIXTURES. 



STRONG LIME-SULPHUR. 



Strong linie-sulplnir to be used on dormant trees or bushes for scale 

 insects, can be prepared in three ways: 



By the old formula, 



By reducing with water "the home made" concentrated wash. 



By reducing with water the "commercial" concentrated wash. 



The "Old formula" has been used for many years with good results 

 and is very satisfactory. The formula is as follows: 



Lump lime 20 pounds. 



Sulphur (flour) 15 pounds. 



Water (hot) to make 50 gallons. 



The lime is slaked with a small amount of water (hot if lime is 

 sluggish) and the sulphur is added, fifteen or twenty gallons of water 

 are then added, and the mixture boiled. (It should take three-quarters 

 of an hour or an hour of good boiling with frequent stirring.) When 

 done the liquid should be amber colored and fairly clear. Strain, 

 dilute with water (hot is preferable) to make (up to) 50 gallons, and 

 apply warm, through a coarse nozzle. 



If small quantities are required, use an iron kettle to boil it in. If 

 larger quantities are to be used, live steam is preferable for boiling pur- 

 poses, either in a tank or in barrels. 



Applied just before the buds swell, it coats the branches in such a 

 way as partially to hinder from settling down, such pests as the oyster- 

 shell, scurfy scale, some aphids, and other insects. 



PIOME MADE CONCENTRATED LIME-SULPHUR WASH. 



Growers, having cooking plants, can make the lime-sulphur wash in a 

 "concentrated" solution. This may be an economy of time, as large 

 quantities can be made early in the season and stored until needed. 



It is difficult to make this wash of uniform strength. For this reason, 

 every batch that is made must be tested with a hydrometer and diluted 

 accordingly. 



The difficulty of getting a solution of uniform strength, apparently 

 depends on the lime, which varies in composition and strength. Lime 

 that contains more than five per cent of magnesium oxide and less than 

 90 per cent of calcium oxide does not combine in the cooking with the 

 sulphur in a way to make a good mixture. Special "spraying lime" is 

 now on the market. 



There are several ways of combining the lime and sulphur, but always 

 there are two parts, by weight, of sulphur to one of stone lime. The 

 following three formulas are in common use: 



Stone lime 75 lbs. ] f 60 lbs. ] f 40 lbs. 



Sulphur 150 " \ or 120 " !> or \ 80 lbs. 



Water 50 gal. J [ 50 gal. J [ 50 gal. 



The lime is slaked to a thin paste and the sulphur is added. Boil 

 for one hour and stir frequently. Water enough should be added so 

 that there will be fifty gallons at the end of the boiling. 



