54 



FRUIT AND POTATO DISEASES 



water. By tying the bag to a stick laid across the top of the 

 barrel, no further attention will be required. In another ves- 

 sel slack four pounds of lime, using care in order to obtain a 

 smooth paste, free from grit and small lumps. To accomplish 

 this, it is best to place the lime in an ordinary water pail and 

 add only a small quantity of water at first, say a quart or a 

 quart and a half. When the lime begins to crack and crumble 

 and the water to disappear, add another quart or more, exer- 

 cising care that the lime at no time gets too dry. Toward the 

 last, considerable water will be required, but if added carefully 

 and slowly, a perfectly smootii paste will be obtained, pro^vided, 

 of course, the lime is of good quality. When the lime is 

 slacked, add sufficient water to the paste to bring the whole up 

 to twenty-five gallons. When the copper sulphate is entirely 



Fig. 3. — Making Bordeaux mixture. Pouring together the lime milk and 



copper sulphate solution. 



•dissolved and the lime is cool, pour the lime milk and copper 

 sulphate solution slowly together into a barrel holding fifty gal- 

 lons, as shown in Fig. 3. The milk of lime should be thoroughly 

 stirred before pouring. The method described ensures good 

 mixing, but to complete this work the barrel of liquid should 

 receive a final stirring, for at least three minutes, with a broad 

 ■wooden paddle. 



"It is now necessary to determine whether the mixture is 

 perfect — that is, if it will be safe to apply it to tender foliage. 

 To accomplish this, two simple tests may be used. First 

 insert the blade of a penknife in the mixture, allowing it to 



