TIMELY NOTES ON SPRAYING. 



103 



Fig. 2259. Proper method of preparing Bordeaux mixtuie. The stock solutions are made 



up and kept in barrels i and 2 ; these are diluted in barrels 3 and 4, and 



finally mixed in the spray pump barrel 5. 



should not be allowed to languish for the 

 want of the application of a remedy. The 

 remedy is known, apply it. 



II. — Bordeaux Mixture. 



Many speakers at the meetings of fruit 

 growers report that the want of care in the 

 preparation of the Bordeaux mixture is the 

 main reason why better and more uniform 

 results are not obtained in the spraying of 

 orchards for the prevention of fungus dis- 

 eases. As spraying operations will begin 

 next month, a few notes in the imperative 

 form regarding the preparation of the Bor- 

 deaux mixture will not be out of place here. 



1. Use notliing but fresh quick-lime. The 

 lime should be slowly slaked by the gradual 

 addition of water. 



2. Never mix the concentrated stock solu- 

 tions together. 



Stock solutions of milk of lime and blue- 

 stone are usually prepared and kept in differ- 

 ent barrels in readiness for spraying opera- 

 tions. In barrel No. i, 25 lbs. of fresh lime 

 are gradually slaked with 25 gallons of 

 water; in barrel No. 2, 25 lbs. of copper 

 sulphate or blue-stone are 'dissolved in 25 

 gallons of warm water. (Fig. 2259). 



These are the stock solutions : Each 

 gallon of milk of lime contains one pound of 

 of lime, and each gallon of blue-stone solu- 



tion contains one pound of blue-stone. 

 When we wish to make up a barrel of Bor- 

 deaux solution, all that is necessary to do is 

 to take out 4 gallons of milk of lime, and 4 

 gallons of blue-stone solution, and either 

 dilute each in separate barrels in 20 gallons 

 of water before mixing in the barrel attached 

 to the spray-pump, or else pour each separ- 

 ately into the barrel in which are already 

 32 gallons of water. The first method, that 

 is, where the four gallons of the stock solu- 

 tions are diluted in separate barrels to 20 

 gallons, before mixing in the barrel attached 

 to the spray pump, is the preferable one. 



If Ihe milk of lime and blue-stone are 

 mixed in the concentrated form, just as they 

 are taken from the stock solution, a precip- 

 itate of a flakey nature will soon settle out, 

 and either fall to the bottom or clog the 

 nozzle. It is also believed that the fungi- 

 cidal value of the copper and lime compound 

 formed is not as great as that formed when 

 the solutions are mixed in a dilute form. 



3. Test the Bordeaux to find out if sufficient 

 milk of lime has been added. This is most 

 readily done by means of the ferrocyanide 

 test. A saturated solution of this substance 

 can be purchased at any druggist's for a few 

 cents. In testing, place some of the Bor- 

 deaux, which has been thoroughly stirred, 

 into a saucer, and add a few drops of the 



