i INTRODUCTION 15 



is that the nature of the spray is the essential factor for the 

 success in spraying with Bordeaux mixture. The spray must 

 be very fine and " misty," or smoke like ; a hanging " mist " or 

 "fog" must be produced which drifts over and through the 

 tree and deposits on the surface of the leaves excessively minute 

 drops, which, when dry, give the parts of the tree which have 

 been sprayed the appearance of being almost uniformly covered 

 with a very thin bluish film or dust. Such a deposit of Bordeaux 

 mixture is so intimately attached to the surface of the leaf or 

 fruit that it does not readily wash off. 



In order to obtain the right kind of spray, attention must 

 be paid to two points : (1) a special type of nozzle must be used, 

 and (2) sufficient pressure must be obtained at the nozzle. If 

 these two requirements are not fulfilled, the full benefit from 

 spraying with Bordeaux mixture cannot be obtained. 



As regards the nozzle, the fact must be emphasised that a 

 special type is required, which may be called the "Bordeaux 

 nozzle." There is at the present time a considerable amount 

 of spraying with Bordeaux mixture being done with unsuitable 

 nozzles. This results not only in a waste of labour and 

 material, but even in actual harm. 



It follows that because the spray of Bordeaux mixture must 

 be " misty " and not jet-like, it must be carried close to the 

 part sprayed. In the case of tall trees this necessitates the use 

 of long bamboo " extension rods." The fact that tall trees 

 cannot be sprayed with Bordeaux mixture by means of a jet- 

 like spray sent up from the ground cannot be too strongly 

 insisted upon ; to secure a fine " misty " spray which shall drift 

 over and through the tree and deposit itself uniformly over the 

 leaves, a " Bordeaux nozzle " at the end of a rod of sufficient 

 length must be used. 



The mixture as used on root fungus of trees may be 

 made stronger and merely poured on the ground. For 

 leaf fungi it must be sprayed in as fine a mist as possible 

 so as to reach both sides of the leaves, for it must not 

 be forgotten that most leaf fungi attack the plant on 

 the underside of the leaf. 



There are many spraying machines invented suitable 

 for all sizes of trees or estates. For small lots like 

 nursery beds we often use a simple bamboo squirt made 

 of a joint of bamboo, with the septum at one end 

 perforated, and a stick wrapped at the end in rag for a 

 piston. This, though a very rough apparatus, can be 



