288 



Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 May, 1919. 



The desirability of paying special attention to this detail in spray- 

 ing is illustrated by the condition of the four young apples appearing 

 in Plat€ 194. These were showing spot when they had advanced albout 

 four weeks from the setting stage, and Were sprayed with commercial 

 lime-sulphur 1 in 20. As will be seen by the nisty, cracked, and 

 contorted condition of the s'pecimens, the strong solution m.ore 

 injuriously affected the fruit than would the disease. The leaves of 

 the tree from which these apples were taken were also someiwhat 

 scorched by the spray. Probably a solution of, say, 1 in 50 at this 

 stage would have controlled the spot without injuring the fruit or 

 foliage. Orehardists, inexperienced in the use of lime-sulphur mostly, 

 instead of attributing the scorching to an over-strong mixture, assume 



Plate 194. — Young Apples Seriously Injured by Strong Lirae-Sulphur. 



that the injury is due J;o the product being of inferior quality. Lime- 

 sulphur does deteriorate, however — the stock mixture, if not properly 

 kept in airtight containers, and the dilute s,olution, if allowed to stand 

 too long after being prepared for use. Many cases of scorching have 

 occurred in the past owing to lime-sulphur having been allowed to 

 deteriorate in one of the ways mentioned. 



Extensive experiments were carried out in America some years ago 

 to test the relative merits of Bordeaux mixture and lime^sulphur. The 

 results showed that Bordeaux was the better fungicide, hut, being more 

 liable to cause russeting after the fruit had set, the lime-sulphur was 

 recommended for use after this stage. 



