160 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



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. 



HOME-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. 

 Sulphur 150 lbs. 

 Water 50 gal. 



or 



60 lbs. 



120 lbs. 



50 gal. 



40 lbs. 



or -I 80 lbs. 



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 boiling. 



After it is cooked, if not to be used at once, it should be strained into 

 a barrel which should be air tight, as exposure to the air causes the 

 sulphur compounds to lose their value for spraying purposes. Each lot 

 that is cooked should be tested with a hydrometer when cooled and di- 

 luted, according to the dilution table on page 365, when applied: 



COMMERCIAL CONCENTRATED LIME-SULPHUR WASH. 



There are several brands of the "commercial" concentrated lime-sulphur 

 solution now upon the market. The use of these instead of the home 

 cooked kinds is becoming more and more common every year, especially 

 by fruit growers who do not care to take the time or trouble to 

 cook the material for themselves or if they do not have good facilities 

 for doing so. They are now reasonable in price, — of fairly uniform 

 strength, and do add to the ease of getting ready to spray as all that is 

 necessary is to dilute with the required quantity of water. 



