284 INSECTS 



To make the self-boiled lime and sulphur combina- 

 tion, place forty pounds of best quality stone lime in a 

 barrel, sifting in twenty pounds of sulphur flowers with 

 it so that it is well mingled. Add boiling water enough 

 to start a brisk slacking and cover with a heavy blanket 

 to confine the heat. Add hot water as needed to keep 

 up the slacking, and stir occasionally to aid the combi- 

 nation. Keep this up until the lime is fully reduced and 

 mixed with the sulphur. Then let the combination stand 

 covered for an hour to maintain its heat, after which hot 

 water enough to make fifty gallons should be added. 



The objection to these mixtures is that unless they 

 are very carefully made there will be a considerable 

 percentage of uncombined sulphur which is of no value, 

 and there is so great an excess of lime forming white- 

 wash, that it makes the wash too thick to get into 

 crevices or through plant hairs. But even this wash is 

 now made commercially and there are several brands 

 on the market which, when thinned down for use, cost 

 very little more than the home-made wash, and much 

 less to the man who has no plant available for making 

 up small quantities. Some of these brands have been 

 tried in comparison with the home-made wash and, 

 when reduced no more than nine times, they were 

 quite as effective. The gardener who has only a few 

 trees to be treated will save time and money by using 

 the commercial preparations. 



This wash is extremely caustic and corrosive. Ma- 

 chines in which it has been used should be thoroughly 

 washed out and oiled before being put away, the hands 

 should be protected by gloves while spraying, the face 

 should have a coating of vaseline, and if there is much 

 wind the eyes should be guarded by goggles. 



As already indicated this wash was developed on 

 the Pacific coast, and it is undoubtedly more uniformly 



