PROCEEDINGS, 1918 75 



orcharding districts commencing in 1909 as a summer spray. 

 At first when spray was applied in light applications as a finely 

 divided mist, it gave general satisfaction. But later follow- 

 ing the development of coarser driving sprays, the power 

 sprayer, the spray gun, and such labor saving devices, lime- 

 sulphur commenced to cause very considerable leaf injury, re- 

 sulting in a poor foliage and a low crop of fruit. Consequently 

 lime-sulphur is not now so generally used, and is being rapidly 

 displaced by the excess lime Bordeaux mixture. 



Sodium sulphide. 



The use of sodium sulphide as a spray is of comparatively 

 recent origin. Potassium sulphide however, which is very sim- 

 ilar in its properties, has been used for a long time in a small 

 way. In 1896 Lodeman of Cornell University, gave a formula 

 for a sodium sulphide wash, and stated that it was of value for 

 scab diseases of oranges. But it was not until about 1912 

 that sodium sulphide was offered for sale by manufacturers, as 

 a fungicide. It was generally sold in powdered form and was 

 designed to replace lime-sulphur. For a few years it was tried 

 in conjunction with arsenate of lead, but foliage injuries re- 

 sulted to such a degree that the combination was impractical. 

 Later, arsenate of lime was shown to be a satisfactory arsenical 

 with sodium sulphide, and this reawakened interest in the ma- 

 terial. It gained favor to a certain extent, but never became 

 very widely used. 



Sodium sulphide at present is used to a limited extent as 

 a dormant spray for the San Jose Scale, and also to a limited 

 extent as a summer spray. It can be purchased in powdered 

 form generally known as soluble sulphur, or in liquid form 

 known as sulfocide. 



In Nova Scotia sodium sulphide is in more general use as 

 a summer spray than in most orcharding districts. It has 

 been found to give less injury, and not far short of the same 

 fungus, control, as lime-sulphur. It is becoming increasingly 

 used as the spray immediately following the blossoms,replac- 

 ing for this one spray, the excess lime Bordeaux. 



