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IRISH GARDENING. 



A Border of June Flowering Irises at Glasnevin. 



Potato Spraying. 



[nstructions for Making Burgundy Miature. 

 — The mixture should be carefully made, other- 

 wise injury to the foliage may result. It is 

 essential that all the soluble copper be precipitated 

 by the addition of sufficient soda. Whilst adding 

 the soda to the solution of copper sulphate the 

 mixture must be vigorously stirred. The precipi- 

 tate formed by the mingling of these two sub- 

 stances should be fiocculent and should remain in 

 suspension for a considerable time. 



For Spraying one-third Acre (say 50 rods). 



1. Dissolve 4 lb. of sulphate of copper in 5 gal. 

 of water in a barrel capable of holding 40 

 gal., then make up to 35 gal. 



N.B. — Iron or zinc vessels must not be used. 



2. Dissolve in another vessel in 5 gal. of water 

 5 lb. of washing soda (previously broken up 

 into small pieces if necessary). 



.3. When the soda is complp.tely dissolved, add 

 (2) to (1), stirring vogorously meanwhile. 

 N.B. — Both copper sulphate and soda should 

 be of fully 98 per cent, purity. 

 Where smaller areas are to be sprayed, barrels, 

 capable of holding 10 gal., may be used. In that 

 case the quantities of copper sulphate and soda 

 given above should each be reduced to i, namely, 

 1 lb. of sulphate of copper and \\ lb. of washing 

 soda. 



Burgundy mixture should be bright blue in 

 colour and should not settle for a considerable 



time. Experience has shown that the precipitate 

 remains longer in suspension and adheres better 

 to the foliage when the mixture is made up in the 

 above manner than when the soda is added to a 

 concentrated solution of copper sulphate. The 

 fungicide should be used in a fresh state and in 

 no case should it be applied more than 10 hours 

 after it has been made. 



Sulphate of Copper is poisonous, therefore the 

 vessels in wliich the copper compounds have been 

 prepared should not be used for the preparation 

 of food. 



Opinions differ as to the relative value of 

 Bordeaux and Burgundy mixtures; there is, how- 

 ever, no doubt that both are efficient fungicides. 

 Where freshly-burnt stone lime of good quality is 

 to be obtained the use of Bordeaux mixture is to 

 1)0 recommended. But in districts where good 

 lime is not readily to be had. Burgundy mixture 

 should be used. 



Instructions for Making Bordeaux Mixture. 

 — This mixture should be made up in the following 

 proportions : — 



Copper sulphate ... ... 4 lb. 



Quick lime (freshly burnt lumps) 2 „ 

 Water ... ... 40 gal. 



The copper sulphate should be dissolved in 35 

 gal. of water in a barrel. The lime should be placed 

 ill a separate vessel and slaked slowly. This is 

 best done by adding only the amount of water 

 which the lime can absorb. After the lime is 

 thoroughly slaked, more water should be added 

 gradually, stirring all the time, to make up to 

 five gal. It should then be strained through a 

 fine sieve and added to the solution of sulphate of 

 copper, the contents of the ba.rrel being vigorously 

 stirred during the mixing. 



Cultivation of Lands — Spraying of Potato 

 Crops to Prevent Disease. — It is hoped that the 

 councils of boroughs and urban and rural dis- 

 tricts and parishes will help by purchasing spray- 

 ing machines, if not already in possession of them, 

 with the necessary chemicals, and hiring them 

 out for use by the smallholders and cottagers in 

 their respective districts, and, where possible, 

 arranging for the spraying to be carried out by 

 a competent operator. The Local Government 

 Board will offer no objection to the incurring of 

 the necessary expenditure, but they consider that 

 ft, suitable charge should in all cases be made for 

 the use of the machines. — Journal of the Board of 

 Agriculture. 



Reviews. 



Modern Farming, May 1918. 



This issue commences the second year of this 

 interesting and, practical journal, and, is a decided 

 advance on the original number. All depart- 

 ments of the farm are adequately dealt with and 

 much up-to-date information is clearly set forth. 

 In the present issue the following subjects are 

 well treated : — The May Outlook, Scotland's 

 Farm Horses, being a most interesting account 

 of the Clydesdale : The Cow and the Mach-ne 

 Disc Harrows, Sprays and Spraying, The Waste 

 of Manures, Agriculture in Parliament, and 

 Poultry. 



Our farming readers would do well to secure a 

 sample copy. 



