Pests and Diseases of Plants 251 



It seems demonstrated that a treatment of the seed will prac- 

 tically insure against potato scab. One method is dipping the potatoes 

 in a solution of corrosive sublimate. Dissolve one ounce in eight 

 gallons of water and soak the seed potatoes in this solution for one 

 and one-half hours before cutting. 



Gopher Poison. 



/ haz'e some alfalfa, some hogs and some gophers, also some 

 strychnine and carrots. If I put the strychnine on the carrots, and 

 endeavor to poison the gophers, and the hogs get hold of the poison 

 will it kill them? 



You will find that hogs are liable to poison like any other animal, 

 and the safest way to poison the gophers, while the hogs are run- 

 ning in the field' is to bury the poisoned carrots very deeply in the 

 gopher hole and then put a row of sticks or branches over the mouth 

 of the hole so that the hogs cannot root around and get at the 

 poisoned carrots. 



Hov7 to Make Bordeaux. 



Use copper sulphate (bluestone) 5 pounds; quick-lime (good stone 

 lime), 6 pounds; water, 50 gallons. Put the bluestone in a sack and 

 hang it so it will be suspended just under the surface of a barrel of 

 water over night, or dissolve in hot water. Use one gallon of water 

 to one pound of bluestone. Slake the lime in a separate barrel, using 

 just enough water to make a smooth, clean, thin whitewash. Stir this 

 vigorously. Use wooden vessels only. Fill the spray tank half full 

 of water, add one gallon of bluestone solution for each pound re- 

 quired, then strain in the lime and the remainder of the water and stir 

 thoroughly. The formula may be varied according to conditions, 

 using from 3 to 8 pounds of bluestone to 50 gallons of water and an 

 equal or slight excess of lime. Use the stronger mixture in rainy 

 weather. Keep the mixture constantly agitated while applying. 



Formula for Lime-Sulphur. 



To make lime-sulphur take quick-lime, 20 pounds; ground sulphur, 

 15 pounds and water 30 gallons. Slake the lime with hot water in 

 a large kettle, add the sulphur and stir well together. After the 

 violent slaking subsides add more water and boil the mixture over a 

 fire for at least one hour. After boiling sufificiently strain into the 

 spray tank and dilute with water to the proper strength. If a steam 

 boiler is available, this mixture may be prepared more easily on a 

 large scale by cooking in barrels into which steam pipes are intro- 

 duced. This mixture cannot be applied safely except during the 

 winter when the trees are dormant. A large proportion of the lime- 

 sulphur used in the State is purchased already prepared in more 

 concentratd form. 



