36 THE BOOK OF PEARS AND PLUMS 



fresh unslaked lime, and 22 gallons of water, the sul- 

 phate to be put in a piece of sacking or light cloth, and 

 hung by a string from the top of a barrel containing 

 1 8 gallons of water, a few inches below the surface so 

 as to dissolve. Then slack 4 Ibs. of fresh lime in as 

 small a quantity of water as possible, the water being 

 added very slowly, until slaking is completed ; then 

 slowly make up to 4 gallons. When cool, thoroughly 

 stir and strain slowly the milk of lime into the copper 

 solution, stirring well while mixing for another minute 

 or two ; it is then fit for use as a winter spray. It 

 should be used when freshly made, (a) Apply before 

 buds start to all fruit trees with the 22 gallons mixture. 

 This can be diluted to a 30, 50 or 60 gallons mixture 

 for spring or summer use. (b) Spray again just as the 

 petals drop with the 60 gallons mixture. If made and 

 applied as above (within ten or twenty hours) it adheres 

 closely to the wood and foliage ; treacle need not be 

 added." This adhesion is of vast importance, as lime 

 is abhorred by stem-borers (e.g., the goat and leopard 

 moths) as well as by all insects. The double application 

 of lime is also helpful. In the United States Paris Green 

 is sometimes added, and is no doubt useful ; the propor- 

 tion must be very small. 



3. For many years I have painted my trees in winter 

 with the following mixture : one bushel of lime, half a 

 bushel of soot, a quart of paraffin, a pail of cow dung, 

 a pail of clay ; melted grease is sometimes added, and 

 the whole worked into a paint and then put on the trees. 

 Treacle might be substituted for the cow dung and 

 grease. This has proved a valuable preventive. The 

 lime and soot gradually falling off, leave the bark clean, 

 and enrich the soil below. But painting is a much 

 longer process than spraying with (l) or (2). Apples 

 have subsequently been sprayed with Paris Green, and 

 pears might also be. 



