FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
71 
Sulphur Solution—Blight—Lemon Scab. 
fveport by Prof. W. T. Swingle, of Sub-Tropical Laboratory, Division 
of Vegetable Pathology, U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
Eustis, Fla., Chairman Standing Committee on Diseases and 
Insects of Citrus. 
Prof. Swingle —I have been too much engaged in field work 
to present to you to-day a written report. Of course, the sub¬ 
ject is a broad one. I will proceed for the first part to con¬ 
sider insects. I am not especially occupied with this subject 
at Eustis, nor is Prof. Webber. I have, however, something 
of interest to report regarding the insect enemies of citrus 
plants, that is, in regard to the solution which is used to kill 
the rust mite and the red spider. I found yesterday afternoon, 
after quite a number of tests, a new method of preparing a 
sulphur spray. I wish to show you how to make this sulphur 
compound. I take it for granted that the members under¬ 
stand what sulphur spray is used for. It is a cure for rust 
mite and is very valuable in fighting spotted mite (red spider). 
The following is the recipe for making this solution: 
Thirty pounds of pulverized sulphur (good quality), twelve 
^quarts of water, then mix; add twenty to thirty-two pounds 
of caustic soda (twenty pounds of ninety-eight per cent, or 
thirty-three pounds of sixty per cent.), then mix. 
After mixing the sulphur and water the caustic soda is 
placed in the same vessel and the whole mixed well. A re¬ 
action takes place, the mixture becoming hot, turning brown 
and finally becoming liquid. This liquid should be diluted to 
twenty gallons of water and kept in tight barrels ready to 
dilute for u^e. Caustic soda can be obtained from Eimer & 
Amend, 207 to 211 Third avenue, or Geo. B. Forrester, 169 
Front street, New York City. I simply give these names 
because I happen to know that they sell the caustic soda. 
They do not sell less than 700 pounds. Seventy per cent, 
potash costs about $3.95 per hundred; ninety-eight per 
cent, about $5.30 to $5.50. It is cheaper to buy the ninety- 
eight per cent, soda at these prices. It is in powder form, 
like flour. A great many dealers have a low grade on hand. 
It would not be advisable to use this. 
PROCEEDS TO MIX THE SOLUTION. 
You will notice that a small quantity of water is used 
