50 Commercial Gardening 



mind that reliable Bordeaux mixture can only be made from good ma- 

 terials. Sulphate of copper is often adulterated with other substances, 

 more especially with sulphate of iron, which is useless as a fungicide. 

 In purchasing sulphate of copper, 98 per cent purity should be insisted 

 upon. The quality of the lime is also an important point. It should be 

 quicklime in the proper sense; partly air-slaked lime results in scorched 

 foliage. The lime should be in lumps, and when slaked should form 

 a creamy mass devoid of lumps and grit, otherwise the nozzle of the 

 spraying machine will become clogged. 



A modified method of preparing Bordeaux mixture has recently been 

 devised by Mr. Spencer U. Pickering, F.R.S., of the Woburn Experimental 

 Fruit Farm, which promises to supersede the older method. The point 

 of difference consists in using lime water instead of milk of lime or 

 dissolved lime. This results in a clear liquid which cannot clog the 

 nozzle of the sprayer. It acts at once as a fungicide; whereas ordinary 

 Bordeaux mixture has no fungicidal action until it has been on the 

 foliage for some days. Finally, there is less danger of scorching. It is 

 prepared as follows: Dissolve 6 Ib. of sulphate of copper, in the way 

 advised under Bordeaux mixture, in a wooden or earthenware vessel. 

 Take 3 Ib. of good quicklime and slake it in a little water; then put it 

 into a tub with 120 gall, of soft water. Stir thoroughly, then leave 

 the mixture to settle. The clear liquid is known as lime water. Add 

 this lime water to the dissolved sulphate of copper to make up 100 gall. 

 This will have the same strength as the Bordeaux mixture previously 

 described. The same test should be applied to find out whether it is 

 safe to use without scorching the foliage. If copper is found to be 

 present, add more lime water. 



Self-boiled Lime-sulphur Mixture. It is well known that Bordeaux 

 mixture cannot be used for spraying Peach trees, because, even when 

 diluted beyond the point of being of any value as a fungicide, it yet 

 scorches and destroys the foliage of trees growing in the open; whereas, 

 when the trees are grown under glass, as in this country, the foliage is, 

 as a rule, softer and yet more liable to injury. The leaves of Almond 

 trees and some others also suffer from the application of Bordeaux mix- 

 ture. A browning or russeting of apples also often results from the 

 use of the above-mentioned fungicide. 



In view of these facts, Dr. W. M. Scott, of the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, has, after repeated experiments, devised a fungicide 

 which can be used with safety on trees having delicate foliage, and which, 

 as a fungicide, is nearly of equal value to Bordeaux mixture. The in- 

 gredients used are as follows: 



Quicklime ... ... ... 8 Ib. 



Sulphur ... ... ... 8 



Water 50 gall. 



Place the lime in a barrel, and pour on 1 gall, of water to start it 



