74 Subtropical Vegetable-Gardening 



pouring on hot water. After the 6 pounds of copper sul- 

 fate have been dissolved, the barrel may be filled to the 

 50-gallon mark. Tin or iron vessels should not be used 

 in connection with bordeaux mixture or the copper sulfate 

 solution; always use copper or wooden vessels. The 

 4 pounds of lime should be slaked in just enough water 

 to cover it, and care should be taken to stir it well and see 

 that it does not burn dry. This is best done in a wooden 

 vessel, as there is considerable heat generated by the lime 

 in slaking. If the stone from which the lime is made 

 contains much sand, it will be necessary to increase the 

 number of pounds of lime used. If there is a quantity of 

 air-slaked lime also present, it will be better to reject this 

 and simply use the part that has not been air-slaked. 

 After the lime has been slaked, water to make 50 gallons 

 is added. The copper sulfate solution (No. 1) should be 

 stirred thoroughly, and about one-half as much as the 

 spraying apparatus will hold taken out. This is poured 

 in the third barrel ; the lime water is then stirred thor- 

 oughly and just as much lime water (No. 2) taken out as 

 already taken of copper sulfate solution ; this is poured into 

 the third barrel and the two stirred together immediately 

 and briskly for a minute or two. A greenish-colored 

 substance will then have been formed which is bordeaux 

 mixture. This mixture is put into the spraying pump 

 and applied at once. Bordeaux mixture is not so good 

 after it has settled, and after it is twenty-four hours old 

 it had better be poured away and a fresh quantity made. 

 The lime water and copper sulfate solution may be kept 

 separately for an indefinite time without deterioration, if 

 evaporation is prevented. 



