1921.] 



Agriculture Ap.road. 



89 



AGRICULTURE ABROAD. 



PICKEKING SPBAYS— WHEAT IMPrtOYEMENT 

 IN CANADA. 



The United States Bureau of Chemistry has completed an 

 investigation into the comparative efficacy of Pickering Sprays and 

 p. , . . ^ of the standard Bordeaux Mixture, and the 



and results are given in Bulletin No. 866 of the 



Fun us Diseases '^^^^^^ States Department of Agriculture. 



Plant pathologists will remember that 

 Spencer Pickering did considerable work on Bordeaux Mixture, 

 made by treating dilute copper-sulphate solution with lime water. 

 It was obvious that, if the results obtained by Pickernig in the 

 laboratory in England held good under field conditions in 

 America, a great saving of copper might be effected. The investi- 

 gation, therefore, sought to determine the amount of copper 

 necessary, for a given quantity of spray, to ensure efTective con- 

 trol of fungus diseases, while a comparison of the adherence of 

 the sprays was also made. As a result of tests on potatoes, 

 extending over three seasons, it was found that sprays made after 

 Pickering's method, containing 7 per cent, of copper-sulphate, 

 w^ere as effective as ordinary Bordeaux Mixture containing 1.25 

 per cent, of copper-sulphate. Pickering's claim that the copper 

 of his wash was 10 to 12 times more effective than the copper 

 in standard Bordeaux Mixture was, however, not substantiated. 

 Its adhesive property was, however, satisfactory, while no 

 injurious effects on the plants were noted. Curiously enough, 

 the Pickering Spray was not so effective on apples and grapes, 

 and it also burned the foliage. Barium hydrate solution sub- 

 stituted for lime water also gave satisfactory results on potatoes. 



According to The Agricultural Gazette of Cariada for May 



last, the first serious effort made by the Federal Government 



^ , to improve the wheat crop of Canada dates 



Wheat Improve- ^. , • ^ i t:. 



, trom 1886, when the Experimental tarms 

 ment in Canada. ^ ^ ^ j mu i • . 



System was inaugurated. I he objects 



were to improve existing grains and to introduce from abroad 

 varieties that were hardv, high yielding, and capable of maturing 

 in districts in which the season was somewhat short. Owing 

 to Canada's geographical position and to the great climatic 

 differences prevailing in the various Provinces, no single variety 

 of either fall or spring wheat gives uniform results throughout 



