54 INSECT PESTS OF FARM, GARDEN AND ORCHARD 



chiefly by the work of Mr. W. M. Scott of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, from whose latest bulletin * the 

 following is quoted: 



" In order to secure the best action from the lime, the mix- 

 ture should be prepared in rather large quantities, at least enough 

 for 200 gallons of spray, using 32 pounds of lime and 32 pounds 

 of sulfur. The lime should be placed in a barrel and enough water 

 (about 6 gallons) poured on to almost cover it. As soon as the 

 lime begins to slake the sulfur should be added, after first running 

 it through a sieve to break up the lumps, if any are present. 

 The mixture should be constantly stirred and more water (3 or 

 4 gallons) added as needed to form at first a thick paste and then 

 gradually a thin paste. The lime will supply enough heat to 

 boil the mixture several minutes. As soon as it is well slaked 

 water should be added to cool the mixture and prevent further 

 cooking. It is then ready to be strained into the spray tank, 

 diluted, and applied. 



" The stage at which cold water should be poured on to stop 

 the cooking varies with different limes. Some limes are so sluggish 

 in slaking that it is difficult to obtain enough heat from them to 

 cook the mixture at all, while other limes become intensely hot 

 on slaking, and care must be taken not to allow the boiling to 

 proceed too far. If the mixture is allowed to remain hot for 

 fifteen or twenty minutes after the slaking is completed, the sulfur 

 gradually goes into solution, combining with the lime to form 

 sulfids, which are injurious to peach foliage. It is therefore 

 very important, especially with hot lime, to cool the mixture 

 quickly by adding a few buckets of water as soon as the lumps 

 of lime have slaked down. The intense heat, violent boiling, 

 and constant stirring result in a uniform mixture of finely divided 

 sulfur and lime, with only a very small percentage of the sulfur 

 in solution. It should be strained to take ou'i the coarse particles 

 of lime, but the sulfur should be carefully worked through the 

 strainer." 



10. Sulfur. Pure sulfur is one of the best remedies for red 

 * Fanners' Bulletin, 440, U. S. Dept. of Agr., p. 34. 



