4 MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I9I2. 



Weather conditions at the time of the first and last applica- 

 tions were favorable and remained so for some time thereafter. 

 The second application was made during a period of extremely- 

 unsettled weather, with conditions most favorable for the pro- 

 duction of spray injury, according to previous experiences with 

 bordeaux. Showers were frequent and changes in temperature, 

 humidity and sunshine intensity were great and sudden. 



Results. 



In the course of the season, observations showed that injury 

 to fruit and foliage occurred in varying degrees on all sprayed 

 plots. On all the lime sulphur plots such injuries were negli- 

 gible for practical purposes, compared with the markedly thrifty 

 condition of the leaves and the fine appearance of the fruit. 



An unusual form of injury at the calyx or "bloom" end of 

 the fruit was also noted and was ascribed to the lead arsenate 

 in combination with the lime-sulphur solution. This, with the 

 one exception to be noted, was also small enough in amount to 

 be an unimportant factor. 



Only one of the proprietary sprays (advertised as a soluble 

 sulphur and not a lime-sulphur solution), did very severe dam- 

 age to leaves and fruit, and proved to be the one instance where 

 injury was caused by each application. 



No differences great enough to indicate superiority were 

 found among the several commercial lime-sulphur preparations, 

 nor between them and the boiled home made solution. The in- 

 tensified self-boiled mixture proved less effective as a fungicide. 



The concentrated lime-sulphur sprays in general showed su- 

 periority over bordeaux mixture in regard to the absence of 

 fruit and foliage injury and effectiveness in fungus control. 

 The sole exception in the latter respect was the home boiled 

 solution, and the slight difference here can be accounted for on 

 other grounds. 



The conclusions drawn from this year's results were pro- 

 foundly affected by some unknown factor, generally ascribed 

 to the weather, which produced severe russeting and malforma- 

 tion of fruit on the unsprayed trees. Nevertheless, after taking 

 this into account, the results tended to show the advantages of 

 lime-sulphur sprays, commercial or home made, over bordeaux 

 in a season which put all spray materials to a severe test. 



