CHAPTER XIY 



SPRAYING MATERIALS 



The selection of spray materials is just about as confusing to 

 the beginner as is the choice of spray apparatus. There are 

 many manufacturers in the field and each one is putting on the 

 market his own special brand of each of the different materials, 

 so that there are almost innumerable things to be had. If the 

 orchardist wants a spray made from a copper salt he has his 

 choice between Bordo-lead, Sal-Bordeaux, Pyrox, Tiger Brand 

 Bordeaux and a dozen other patent preparations. If he wants 

 to use sulfur in some form he is embarrassed by an even longer 

 list of possibilities. He can buy commercial lime-sulfur of a 

 dozen different manufacturers, or he can make his own con- 

 centrate or make the home-boiled wash, or use self -boiled lime- 

 sulfur. Or, again, he can use atomic sulfur, soluble sulfur, sul- 

 focide or various other special forms. The list of any of these 

 principal sprays is so long that even the old stager is sometimes 

 in doubt. Is it any wonder if the novice feels like giving up in 

 despair? Yet if we will study into the matter it is not as bad 

 as it seems on the face of the returns. 



Doubtless new materials, and new combinations of old ma- 

 terials, will continue to come along, so that what was the best 

 thing possible this year may be out of date a few years to come. 

 This is going to make it necessary to do some experimenting all 

 the time and to keep in touch with the Experiment Stations and 

 the Fruit Growers' meetings. But all orchardists should do this 

 anyway. When the list of spray materials in vogue at any one 

 time is sifted down it will be found that there are really only a 

 relatively small number that have to be considered. If a man 

 buys from reputable manufacturers he is not apt to go far 

 wrong, even though he may not get absolutely the best form. 



Commercial Mixtures vs. Home Mixing. There are two 

 or three general questions that ought to be discussed before we 



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