31 



but are a little more concentrated and therefore require more dilu- 

 tion. A strength of gallons of the solution to 50 gallons of 

 water gives about 4 pounds of sulphur in each 50 gallons of spray, 

 and produces the same results as the home-made solution diluted 

 to contain the same amount of sulphur. 



We have experimented with several different brands of these 

 commercial products and have found very little dift'erence in them. 

 All that were tested gave fairly uniform results and compared 

 favorably with the home-made solution. It appears, therefore, 

 that, except in the matter of cost, it makes very little difference 

 whether the preparation is purchased from the factory or made at 

 home. The home-made product is less expensive but more trouble- 

 some. 



Results of Experiments. 



Experiments comparing the lime-sulphur preparations with Bor- 

 deaux mixture in the treatment of apple diseases have been conducted 

 by the Bureau of Plant Industry in A'irginia, ^lichigan, Nebraska, 

 AIissouri> and Arkansas. Excepting bitter rot and blotch, all dis- 

 eases of the fruit and foliage in all the experiments were as thor- 

 oughl}- controlled bv the lime-sulphur solution as by the Bordeaux 

 mixture. The lime-sulphur produced very little or no russeting of 

 the fruit and no serious foliage injury while the Bordeaux injured 

 both fruit and foliage of Ben Davis, lonathan, Yellow Newton, and 

 some other varieties. The lime-sulphur sprayed fruit was invari- 

 ably superior in appearance to that sprayed with Bordeaux. 



Experiments for the control of apple scab on Winesap were 

 conducted in A^iro-inia during 1909 with the following results: On 

 the plots sprayed with lime-sulphur solution less than one per cent, 

 of the fruit was affected with scab ; on that sprayed with Bordeaux 

 mixture about two per cent, of the fruit was affected ; and on the 

 check or unsprayed plot thirty per cent, of the fruit w^as scabby. 



During the same year similar experiments were conducted in 

 Michigan with like results. The scab was held down to four per 

 cent, of the crop by the lime-sulphur solution and to three and one- 

 half per cent by Bordeaux mixture, while eighty per cent, of the 

 unspraved fruit of the same varietv ( VVagener) w^as affected. 



Results of experiments conducted in Arkansas by the Depart- 

 me;it of Agriculture were not favorable to the lime-sulphur solu- 

 tion in the control of bitter rot and apple blotch. These two dis- 

 eases were checked by the spray but not thoroughly controlled. 

 There is, therefore, some doubt as to the efficiency of the lime- 

 sulphur solution as a remedy for bitter rot and blotch. 



In both the Virginia and the ^lichigan experiments the com- 

 mercial lime-sulphur solution at a strength of 2 to 50 slightly 

 scorched the leaves particularly on the terminal shoots, but this did 

 not prove to be serious and' at the end of the season the foliage 

 was in good condition, the apple leaf-spot having been controlled 

 and the cedar rust held in check. It was found also that arsenate 

 of lead, used with the lime-sulphur solution did not result in injury 

 to fruit or foliage and that it controlled codling moth as thoroughly 



