APPENDIX I 677 



Lime-sulphur Salt Wash. — This wash, although rarely used, is made as follows: 



Lime, unslaked, 20 pounds. 



Sulphur (flour, or flowers), 15 pounds. 

 Salt, 10 pounds. 



Water to make 50 gallons. 



Many different formulas are used in making up this wash but the above formula 

 seems to be the best, and has been extensively used. If the lime is high-grade stone 

 lime, IS pounds will be sufficient to dissolve all the sulphur. With average lime 

 20 pounds is the better quantity, but with poor or partly air-slaked lime 25 to 30 

 pounds are necessary. Lime absorbs an equal weight of water in becoming air- 

 slaked. 



To prepare small quantities of this wash proceed as follows: Place about 10 gal- 

 lons of water in an iron kettle over a fire, make the sulphur into a paste with a little 

 water, and when the boiling point is nearly reached add the fresh lime and the sul- 

 phur together. The mixture should be constantly stirred, and the boiling continued 

 for forty to sixty minutes. The object of the cooking is to dissolve the sulphur and 

 when this is accomplished further boiling is useless, but not harmful. The salt may 

 be added at any time during the process of boiling, or entirely omitted. It is gener- 

 ally conceded, howeyer, that salt increases the adhesiveness of the wash, as it does 

 ordinary lime whitewash, and for this reason, it is perhaps advisable to use it, al- 

 though it is not supposed to strengthen the fungicidal property of the mixture. 

 Possibly also the salt hastens the solution of the sulphur by raising the boiling point, 

 or by its solvent action. 



It has been found that the sulphur dissolves more readily in a concentrated mix- 

 ture with lime, and the quantity of water used during the process of boiling should, 

 therefore, be reduced to a minimum. The mixture should not be allowed to become 

 pasty, however, and water, preferably hot, should generally be added until the barrel 

 is nearly full when finished. When the cooking is completed, pass the mixture 

 through an iron wire strainer (not brass or copper), and dilute with the required 

 amount of water. For details, see Waite, M. B.: Fungicides and Their Use in 

 Preventing Diseases of Fruits. U. S. Farmers' Bull. No. 243 (1906). 



The wash may be applied either hot or cold with practically the same results, 

 though the warm mixture is less likely to clog the nozzles. If allowed to stand over 

 night, sulphur crystals will form on the bottom and sides of the containing vessel. 

 It is difficult to dissolve the lime-sulphur crystals after they have once formed. For 

 this reason, it is better not to prepare more than can be used the same day. 



Steeps. — Solutions in use for dipping seeds, fruits and the like in order to control, 

 or check fungous diseases. 



Formalin. — (^4) For oat smut and stinking smut of wheat. Add J^^ pound of 

 formalin to 30 gallons of water and immerse the seed grain for two hours, then spread 

 out and dry: or sprinkle the grain with the formalin solution until thoroughly wet, 

 shoveling over rapidly to distribute the moisture evenly, then place in a pile (covered 

 with sacking) for two hours and finally spread out to dry as in the first method. 



(B) For potato scab. The formalin treatment of seed potatoes practically frees 



