28 The Spraying of Plants. 



sulphate of copper. In another vessel make a milk of lime by 

 slaking 15 kilos of quicklime in 30 liters of water. This is 

 then added to the copper sulphate solution, causing a bluish 

 precipitate. The workman should stir the mixture well, and 

 then pour a part of it into a pail or watering pot. This is 

 carried in the left hand while with the right he sprinkles the 

 foliage by means of a small broom. Care should be taken 

 that none of the mixture shall strike the grapes." Such was 

 the first formula for making the Bordeaux mixture ; and the 

 first apparatus used for its application was a broom ! 



On Dec. 3, 1884, some time previous to this publication, 

 Baron Chatry de la Fosse had called the attention of the Agri- 

 cultural Society of Gironde to the good effects following the 

 use of the mixture of lime and copper sulphate, but he gave no 

 direction for its preparation nor for its use. 



During 1885 the downy mildew developed with much inten- 

 sity. Many experiments were tried, and the year brought out a 

 number of facts regarding the various treatments. The value 

 of the " bouillie bordelaise " was proved beyond all doubt. 

 Wherever it had been properly used, the results were all 

 that could be wished. Untreated vines lost their leaves, and 

 those to which the mixture had been applied, retained them 

 in an almost perfect condition. These results are all the more 

 remarkable on account of the very crude method of applying 

 the mixture, a small broom being generally used for the pur- 

 pose. The most marked and promising results of the year 

 were probably obtained by de Ferrand, Johnston, and David. 1 



The original formula of the mixture was modified by various 

 vineyardists in 1885. De Ferrand used 2 successfully about 

 the same quantity of lime as of copper sulphate. David added 3 

 glue to the mixture at the rate of 6 kilos strong glue dissolved 

 in 800 liters of the mixture. This first trial of the addition of 

 glue was apparently followed by beneficial results. 



The first application of the Bordeaux mixture for the pre- 

 vention of other diseases than those of the vine seems also to 

 have been made this year. Prillieux, in his report to the 

 minister of agriculture, dated Oct. 22, 1885, says 4 that Jouet, 

 at Chateau-Langoa (Medoc), made an application to tomatoes 



i Jour. d'Ay. Prat. 1885, 699 tt seq. 3 Ibid. 661. 



?. 701. * Ibid. 662. 



