Hellebore — Bordeaux Mixture 



211 



dust. The flea-beetle, which is an invidious enemy to many- 

 crops, may also be repelled to a certain extent with the same 

 treatment. These insects are also driven away to a great extent 

 when the plants are thoroughly covered with Bordeaux mixture. 



White hellebore is poisonous to insect life, but is much less 

 injurious to human beings than the arsenic compounds. It is some- 

 times used on cabbages and other plants late in the season, when 

 it is considered to be unsafe to use Paris green or other arsenites. 

 It may be applied either dry or in water. When applied in a 

 water spray, one ounce of poison is mixed with three gallons of 

 water. In the dry state it may be applied full strength or diluted 

 half with flour. 



Fungicides 



Bordeaux mixture, — To make 1 bbl. (50 gals.): Copper sul- 

 fate (blue vitriol), 4 lbs.; stone lime, 4 lbs. 



If there is any hurry, the vitriol may be quickly dissolved in 

 a pail of hot water, but it is usually better to put it in a piece 

 of burlap and suspend this over night in four to six gallons of 

 cold water. If only the bottom of the burlap rests in the water, 

 the vitriol will dissolve quicker than if it is completely immersed. 

 Always use a wooden pail for dissolving vitriol; it will corrode tin. 



It is better, but not essential, to slake the lime some time 

 before it is needed for making Bordeaux, in order that it may 

 become cool. If warm milk of lime is used for making Bordeaux 

 there is likely to be more trouble with clogging of the nozzles. 

 Only good stone lime should be used ; even a little air-slaked lime 

 in Bordeaux is likely to give a mixture which will burn the foli- 

 age, clog the nozzles, and wash from the trees more easily. When 

 slaking a small amount of lime do not cover it with water but 

 add water gradually, pint by pint, as fast as the lime takes it 

 up. If lime is "drowned'^ it will often take half an hour to slake, 

 when it would take but five minutes if skilfully handled. If an 

 ordinary oil barrel is sawed in two the halves make very handy 

 tubs in which to slake lime and dissolve vitriol. 



When ready to begir* spraying, pour the vitriol solution into 

 the spray barrel and then fill the latter about half full of water. 



