48 SPRAYING THE APPLE ORCllAKD. 



most expensive part of the spraying material, and therefore 

 should be carefully made. Take fifty pounds of bluestone 

 or copper sulfate and hang in a coarse bag in a 50-gallon 

 barrel of water, so that when dissolved the solution will 

 contain one pound to the gallon, or with a smaller barrel 

 make up in the same proportion. This is the "stock" blue- 

 stone solution. Take fifty pounds of best stone or quick- 

 lime — be sure that it is fresh and has not been air slaked, 

 and slake it carefully as for making mortar, gradually ap- 

 plying just enough water to slake without burning, and not 

 enough water to flood it. When thoroughly slaked, place it 

 in a 50-gallon barrel and fill it with water, or in similar 

 proportions, so that the "stock" solution of lime will con- 

 tain one pound to the gallon. These "stock" solutions may 

 be kept during the spraying season, if covered. Take an- 

 other barrel and cut it in two or use two tubs of any kind 

 which will hold a half barrel each. Into one place three 

 gallons of the "stock" bluestone solution and fill it with 

 water, so that the half barrel of water contains three pounds 

 of bluestone. Into the other half barrel place four gallons 

 of the lime "stock" solution, and fill it with water so that it 

 contains four pounds of lime. Then dip out from the two 

 half barrels alternately into the pump barrel, stirring as 

 they are poured into the pump barrel. Do not pour one 

 dilute solution into the other, but pour them together into 

 the spray barrel. Many are in the habit of placing the 

 three gallons of stock solution of bluestone in the spray 

 barrel and nearly filling it with water, and then adding the 

 lime stock solution, or vice versa. The resulting mixture is 

 not as good as when made as above directed, as it tends to 

 curdle and settles to the bottom. This tendency is even 

 more marked if the two stock solutions are mixed without 

 dilution and then the barrel is filled with water. Always 

 dilute the lime and bluestone mixtures as directed before 

 mixing them together, and then stir while mixing. This 

 ensures success. In our own operations we have employed 

 an outfit which saves much time and labor. A rough plat- 



