April, 1919 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE SUPPLEMENT 
5 
This product 'has largely taken the place of Bordeaux mixture in 
spraying against apple scab and cherry shot-hole fungus because it 
does not russet the fruit and is much easier to handle. It is not as 
powerful a fungicide as Bordeaux but, when used "before midsummer, 
there is not as great a risk of injury. When apple scab is very severe 
in an orchard season after season, Bordeaux is preferable. 
One company is now producing a dry lime-sulfur of satisfactory 
quality. The “soluble sulfur” compounds on the market have not 
been as efficient as lime-sulfur solution. Lime-sulfur in the dry form 
is usually much more expensive than the concentrated solution. 
Bordeaux Mixture 
Copper -sulphate in combination with fresh lime forms the standard 
and well known fungicide, Bordeaux mixture. 
Various formulas are quoted, but the following is now accepted as 
safe and reliable : 
Copper sulfate 4 lbs. 
Fresh lime 5 lbs. 
Water 50 gals. 
In general terms, the copper sulfate should be dissolved in one-half 
of the water, the lime slaked in the remainder and the two solutions 
poured together. This results in a chemical action giving rise to a 
new substance preserving the fungicidal properties of the copper sul- 
fate and if properly made will not injure foliage. 
Bordeaux mixture is used as a preventive of apple scab, asparagus 
rust, mildew on grapes, roses and other plants, potato blight and rot, 
shot-hole fungus on plum and cherry and other fungous diseases. 
The two ingredients of Bordeaux mixture may be kept separate in 
solution without deterioration but they rapidly lose their value after 
mixing. Mix only as much Bordeaux as you will use in any one day. 
cents a bushel but seventy-five 
cents to a dollar a bushel has been 
the difference in the return dur- 
ing the past two years. An un- 
known grower has simply to say, 
“I have so many barrels of apples, 
Standard A grade, minimum size 
2!/2 inches,” and bis market is 
ready. 
The apple grading law permits 
any kind of apples to be placed on 
the market. It requires no 
changes, in methods of handling 
A bucket pump is satisfactory for a 
few trees if sufficient hose and an ex- 
tension rod are used. 
Helpful Hints for Making a Barrel of Bordeaux Mixture 
(1) Have on hand three barrels and two pails (wood fiber or gal- 
vanized iron). 
(2) Twenty-five gallons of water in each of the barrels. 
(3) Dissolve 4 pounds of copper sulfate in one barrel by suspend- 
ing in a coarse burlap as near the surface of the water as possible; in 
this way it will dissolve in a short time, while if allowed to settle to 
the bottom it would require several hours to dissolve. 
(4) Place the lime in a pail and slake by adding water slowly until 
a paste is formed. (The lime for Bordeaux mixture should be slaked 
exactly as for building purposes.) 
(5) Pour this lime paste into the second barrel and stir thoroughly. 
(6) Add the required amount of arsenate of lead to the lime water. 
(7) Now pour into a third (empty) barrel first a pailful of the 
copper sulfate solution, then a pailful of the lime water, or better, let 
two persons work at the job, pouring together. 
the crop and does not compel an 
improvement in quality. But it 
does permit the man who raises 
high quality fruit to collect the 
value of his apples instead of sell- 
ing them at a low quality price. 
Last fall was the first season the 
statute was enforced out it was 
found that already there was a 
good market for “Standard A” 
apples from unknown growers 
without sending samples or hav- 
ing to accept a minimum return. 
The law fixes three grades and 
carefully defines them. The high- 
est is “Wisconsin Standard Fan- 
cy” which only a few orchardists 
will try to handle. It is for the 
