BERLIN, MARYLAND 13 



FORMULAS FOR SPRAY MIXTURES 



1. CONCENTRATED LIME-SULFUR— Home-Made: 

 Best stone lime (at least 95% calcium oxide) 50 lbs. 

 Sulfur (any kind finely ground, 98% pure) 100 lbs. 

 Water 50 gals. 



Heat 20 gals, of water in an iron vat or by steam in barrels; add stone lime and sulfur 

 gradually. Vigorous action will take place and cold water should be near at hand to be 

 added gradually, to make a total of about 55 gals. Boil for 1 hour. For dormant spraying, 

 dilute at the rate of 1 to 9. For summer spray, dilute 1 to 40. 



Commercial. — Lime-sulfur solution may be purchased from various firms. It should 

 be diluted as above. Soluble oils may be substituted 1 to 15 for dormant spray. 



2. SELF-BOILED LIME-SULFUR: 



Flowers of sulfur 8 lbs. 



Stone lime of good quality 8 lbs. 



Water 50 gals. 



Start the lime to slaking with a little water. (Use hot water if lime is slow-acting.) As 

 soon as the lime begins to slake rapidly, add the sulfur and stir continuously, adding just 

 enough water from time to time to form a thin paste and to allow the mixture to boil 

 violently for from three to five minutes. Add cold water to prevent any further action of 

 the lime. Strain at once into spray tank. Add water to make 50 gals. Larger quantities 

 in the same proportion may be made, but greater care will be required to prevent the mix- 

 ture from becoming too hot, in which case the sulfur will be dissolved and a red scum 

 will form on the surface. This red material will injure the foliage and fruits. When 

 applying this sprav, a good agitator is essential. Atomic sulfur, a commercial product, 

 used at the rate of 5 lbs. to 50 gals., may be substituted. 



3. BORDEAUX MIXTURE: 



Copper sulfate (Blue-stone) 4 lbs. 



Stone lime of good quality 4 lbs. 



Water 50 gals. 



Dissolve the blue-stone by suspending it in a bag near the surface of a few gallons of 

 water contained in a wooden or earthen vessel. Slake the lime and add several gallons of 

 water so as to make milk of lime. Pour the blue-stone into the spray tank and add enough 

 water to make 20 to 30 gals.; then strain the milk of lime into the barrel, agitating the mix- 

 ture vigorously. Add water to make 50 gals. Use immediately. 



STOCK SOLUTIONS: 



Dissolve blue-stone at rate of 1 lb. to 1 gal. water. Slake lime and dilute at rate of 1 lb. 

 to 1 gal. Keep in separate covered containers until ready to make bordeaux according to 

 above formula. Prepared bordeaux, either dry or in paste, or Pyrox may be substituted. 



4. ARSENICALS: 



Arsenate of lead is the standard stomach poison. It is furnished in both the powder 

 and paste form. The powder is much the easier to use as it can be used dry, as a dust, or 

 combined with liquids. The paste is not easily kept for any length of time because of evapo- 

 ration, and hence cannot be held over from one season to another as easily as the powder. 



Arsenate of lime is effective for truck crops and is about two cents cheaper per pound. 

 Arsenite of zinc is a quick-acting poison, valuable for truck-crop work. 



All of the above powdered materials should be used at the rate of 1 lb. per 50 gals, of 

 spray for the ordinary insects. Beetles usually require 1 }/i lbs. per 50 gals. Twice as much 

 paste would be required in each case. Any of the poisons may be combined with the spray 

 for diseases. 



6. NICOTINE SPRAYS.— Nicotine in various forms and under such trade names as 



Black-Leaf 40, may be purchased from manufacturers, and should be used as directed 

 in the schedule for aphis. 



7. PINE-TAR CREOSOTE EMULSION: 



Pine-tar creosote 1 gal. 



Caustic soda ^ lb. 



. Water 11 ga Is. 



Dissolve the caustic soda in 1 gal. water in a large vessel; stir in vigorously the creosote, 

 add 1 1 gals, water, to make an 8% solution and strain into spray barrel. Used for woolly 

 aphis. 



10. WORMING PEACH TREES: 



The knife and a flexible wire is still the best method for combating the peach-tree borer. 

 Pull the earth away from the tree crowns one day prior to worming. This allows the tree 

 to dry and shows up the new "castings" or "frass" to good advantage, thus facilitating the 

 finding of the borers. Take out the borers in May, mound up the earth, and worm again 

 in October, leaving the earth level around the tree. 



