Miscellaneous. 391 



it in a wooden vessel containing more or less clean water, according to 

 the quantity of vitriol you want to dissolve or the amount of mixture you 

 wish to make. Six pounds of vitriol should never be dissolved in more 

 than twxnty-five gallons of water — half the amount of mixture to be made 

 and you can easily dissolve as many pounds in as many gallons of water 

 in several hours if you wish to do so. The temperature of the water 

 makes but little difference if any. The secret of dissolving the vitriol 

 rapidly is to keep it as near the surface of the water as possible and to 

 agitate it occasionally by plunging it up and down in the water. We find 

 it more convenient to put enough vitriol to dissolve, to make a batch 

 or two of mixture, the evening before we intend to begin to spray. 



Another ingredient necessary is good stone lime. This should be as 

 free from grit and residue, after being slaked, as possible. There is a 

 great difference in this respect, in different limes. Some limes will slake 

 almost entirely, leaving no perceptible grit or residue. This grit or resi- 

 due sometimes depends also upon the manner in which the lime is slaked. 

 Great care should be taken in performing this operation. Be very care- 

 ful that the lime does not burn in slaking, for if it does it is useless for 

 your purpose — it will not blend with the vitriol water, and it will not 

 make a perfect mixture. Such imperfect mixtures besides being no pro- 

 tection against rot, are liable to scorch the foliage and injure the fruit 

 of the vines to which it is applied. We prefer in early spring to slake 

 all the lime needed for sometime — say at least a barrel at a time. We 

 keep this slaked lime in a pit or in lime or sugar barrels sunk in the 

 earth covering the lime with a little water to keep from drying. These 

 ingredients — vitriol water and lime putty as we call it, you can prepare 

 as suits your convenience, but they should never be misused — that is the 

 Bordeaux mixture should never be made until you are ready to use it, 

 and then use it the same day as made. Also be very careful never to use 

 the fresh slaked lime while hot, in making the mixture. 



When ready to make your mixture ascertain the capacity in gallons 

 of the vat, barrel, or vessel in which you are to make your mixture, and 

 for every fifty gallons of capacity, take ten pounds of this slaked or 

 putty lime and put it in your mixing vat or barrel. Then add a little 

 water and work thoroughly with a hoe to dissolve the lime and as it 

 dissolves keep adding water until your vat or barrel contains nearly one- 

 half the quantity of mixture you w^ant to make. If your lime be gritty 

 and there is much deposit after dissolving, this water should be strained 

 through a fine sieve before adding the vitriol water. With the lime w^e 

 use, we very seldom find it necessary to strain the lime water. 



Have in another vat or barrels standing along-side of vour mixing- 



