136 — How to Make the Garden Pay. 



the mixture ; a tub or keg in which to slake the lime ; some pieces 

 of coarse sacking, and finally a dipper. For every fifty gallons 

 ofBordeaux mixture to be made, use six pounds of copper sul- 

 phate. This may be in the ordinary form of coarse crystals, and 

 will dissolve quite readily if you suspend it, in a basket or coarse 

 sack, into the water with which the barrel or vat is partially 

 filled. Slake a quantity of lime, and by adding water prepare a 

 creamy whitewash. Then gradually strain this whitewash into 

 the solution of copper sulphate. Occasionally stir the whole 

 mass together, and test it by adding a drop of the yellow prus- 

 siate of potash solution. So long as the latter causes a brownish 

 stain in the bluish mixture, more lime must be added. When 

 the proportions are right, no discoloration will be noticeable after 

 the application of the test liquid. Then add the quantity of 

 water required to give the right proportions, so that there will 

 be fifty gallons of the mixture for every six pounds of copper 

 sulphate. 



It is permissible to make a stock solution of copper sulphate, 

 and perhaps also to slake at one time a large enough quantity ^ 

 of lime to last for a number of sprayings ; but these materials 

 should be always mixed freshly for every application. I prefer 

 to prepare new solutions and mix them freshly every time when 

 I want to spray with Bordeaux mixture. Always keep the liquid 

 well stirred during the operation of spraying. 



Bordeaux Mixture with Arsenites. — The great advan- 

 tage which Bordeaux mixture has over most other fungicides is 

 that it can be safely combined with Paris green (or perhaps Lon- 

 don purple), thus giving us a chance to kill two birds with 

 one stone. In the garden, this compound mixture will be found 

 especially useful in fighting diseases and insects which attack 

 the potato. The proportions usually recommended are four 

 ounces of Paris green to fifty gallons of Bordeaux mixture. I 

 prefer to use a much larger proportion of Paris green, up to one 

 pound to fifty gallons. Be sure that the compound mixture is 

 kept well stirred during the application. 



Potassium Sulphide. — For some of the plant diseases I 

 have occasionally used a simple solution of potassium sulphide 

 (liver of sulphur). The proportions are one-half ounce dis- 

 solved in one gallon of hot water. Allow it to get cold before 

 spraying. This solution has been found to be especially valuable 

 for checking gooseberry mildew. 



Bichloride of Mercury. — A simple solution of bichloride 

 of mercury (corrosive sublimate, a powerful poison, one part in 

 one thousand parts of water), the well-known and famous disin- 

 fectant, is of great service in the treatment of seed potatoes for 



