1914. 
89 
HOMEMADE LIME-SULPHUR. 
Many readers are asking us how to make the 
concentrated lime-sulplmr at home. So much has 
bepn said about this in times past, and the experi¬ 
ment stations have also printed so much on the 
subject, that the great majority of fruit growers 
understand the subject well. There are others, 
however, who evidently have not studied it out 
thoroughly. 
The demand is for a small apparatus for cooking 
the lime-sulphur with steam. One of the best bulle¬ 
tins on the subject is No. 201 from the Virginia 
Station at Blacksburg. From that bulletin we take 
the picture shown at Fig. 95. This shows a small 
steam boiler or feed cooker, costing about $40. The 
pipes are arranged as shown in the picture, admit¬ 
ting the steam into two barrels. With this outfit 
the bulletin states that one man could make live 
barrels of the concentrated solution in a day. 
Scraps and odds and ends of wood may be used 
as fuel. 
Another arrangement for cooking is shown at 
Fig. 94. There is a small steam boiler about the 
price of the other. A platform strong enough to 
hold up the barrels is made as shown. In this case 
two barrels of the mixture are kept boiling while 
two barrels are being prepared. The pump shown 
in the corner is used for pumping water from the 
spring or well. The bulletin states that one man 
can use this outfit to prepare 250 gallons of the 
concentrated solution in ten hours. The barrels are 
fitted with a faucet so that when the lime-sulphur 
is used, it may be turned out into the trough directly" 
into the tank from the wagon. This apparatus is 
within the reach of those fruit growers who have a 
large amount of spraying to do, and would probably 
fill the bill. 
A good description of the method of making the 
lime-sulphur is given in Bulletin No. 330 of the 
Geneva, New York Station. The following state¬ 
ment being taken from that bulletin: 
In making lime-sulphur wash, whatever the formula, 
only fresh, lump-liine should be used that is free from 
dust, grit, air-slaked material and magnesium oxide. 
It should not contain loss than 90 per cent pure calcium 
oxide. The Station has a list, which will he sent on 
application, of those dealers who will furnish guaran¬ 
teed lime of satisfactory quality. Local lime is some¬ 
times satisfactory, but orchardists should be sure of 
the quality of the lime before attempting to make large 
quantities of the wash. For sulphur, light and heavy 
sulphur flour, flowers of sulphur, “ground brimstone” 
or “commercial sulphur flour” if finely ground and 
bolted, will do equally well. Before adding to the mix¬ 
tures the sulphur must be thoroughly moistened and 
made into an even, fluid paste without lumps. 
In making, slake the lime in about 10 gallons of hot 
water, adding the lumps of lime gradually to avoid too 
violent boiling and spilling over. Pour in the sulphur 
paste gradually during the slaking, stirring constantly 
to prevent the formation of lumps, and when the slak¬ 
ing has finished add the full amount of water and boil 
gently for one hour. If kettles and fire are used, more 
than the required amount of water may be used at 
first, to compensate for evaporation, or the volume may 
be kept constant by adding successive small quantities 
to hold the mixture at the original level as shown by 
a notch on a stick resting on the bottom of the kettle 
and marked when the mixture first begins to boil. 
When boiling with live steam the mixture will be more 
likely to increase in volume than to decrease, so that 
no water need be added. This concentrate will keep 
with little change, unless the weather is below 5 deg. 
Fahr., if stored in filled, stoppered barrels. Even in 
open receptacles there will be no loss if the surface be 
covered by a layer of oil to prevent access of air. Each 
boiling should be tested with a Beaumd hydrometer and 
its density marked on the barrels or other containers. 
Of course care and skill are required to do the 
work properly. This can only be acquired by ex¬ 
perience. As to whether it pays to manufacture the 
lime-sulphur or buy it is largely a matter of indi¬ 
vidual figuring. It is not unlike the problem of 
mixing fertilizers or buying the ready mixed goods. 
One man will demonstrate clearly both by his 
figures and his test of the material that the home 
making and home boiling pay him well, while an¬ 
other man almost in the same neighborhood would 
give up the home manufacturing after one or two 
trials, convinced that it pays him better to buy the 
mixed goods. 
GROWING PEAS FOR THE CANNERY. 
Experience of a Practical Farmer. 
If conditions are favorable, growing peas for the 
cannery is one of the most profitable operations for 
the farm—as the returns are large for the amount 
of labor expended and the operation is an economi¬ 
cal one. The roots of the pea vines contain a large 
amount of nitrogen, which is confined in small 
nodules on the roots of the plant, and after the 
crop has been harvested, these are plowed under, 
adding humus as well as nitrogen to the soil, 
thereby bringing up the land in a remarkable de¬ 
gree and at a minimum of expense. Pea growing 
can be conducted advantageously only where the 
conditions are favorable—one of the most import¬ 
ant factors is that the cannery is nearby, the dis- 
THK KUKAL NEW-VORKEH 
lance not to exceed four miles—other essential 
factors are latitude, altitude, climate, contour of 
Hie land, soil and amount of rainrall. 
My farm located in Madison Co., N. Y., is situated 
on a ridge, with a gradual slope to the east; eleva¬ 
tion is 1,400 feet above sea level; the seasons are 
short and the nights cool; often having hard frost 
in early June. In season of drought we do not 
suffer as much as other sections further east, and 
judge that this is partly due to the quality of the 
soil, and also that we are blessed with more rain 
at certain seasons. The soil is a good clay and 
readily worked under favorable conditions, so that 
Fio. 94. 
it is pliable and mellow. My contract with the can¬ 
nery in 1913 was for 12 acres of peas, five acres 
Alaskas, two Advancers, five Market Garden, early, 
medium and late. The ground we took had been 
used as pasture for two years. It was plowed in 
April; then disked and harrowed so the soil was 
fine and mellow; and as far as possible all stones 
removed, these points being most essential for a 
successful pea crop. The peas were drilled in the 
latter part of April and the first of May, using 
four bushels to the acre, and 250 pounds fertilizer 
(1-10-5) to the acre. 
There is no further work until it comes time to 
harvest, that is if the ground is free from weeds; 
if one is unfortunate there may be mustard to con¬ 
tend with, which is about the only enemy the pea 
has. This can be easily eradicated by spraying 
with copper sulphate or iron sulphate. 
The Alaskas (early) take from 50 to 60 days to 
come to maturity. We are kept advised by the fore¬ 
man of the cannery when to cut the crop, and this 
is done by mowing machines. The vines are put 
on the hay wagons and delivered to the factory. 
The labor required for this was three teams and 
live men; one man to a team and two men in the 
field, this takes care of the situation nicely. It is 
not advisable to cut the peas too long in advance, 
so one man cuts with the mowing machine while 
the other two teams load and haul to the factory. 
If the man with the mowing machine has a fair 
start, the teams will be kept busy and there is no 
waste of labor. Special guards are obtainable for 
use on the mowing machine, which lift the vines 
while being cut, which facilitates cutting and is 
economical. If the farmer so desires he can take 
PLANT FOR FEED OR SPRAY COOKING. 
Fig 95. 
his pea vines back with him after they have been 
thrashed, this making excellent feed for the cows. 
However, the teamster is generally rushed and does 
not care to do this. The pea vines are run on con¬ 
veyors to the silos nearby, which are filled, making 
splendid silage, which is sold later in the Winter 
by the cannery at a retail price of $3 per ton. Pea 
vine silage, which is high in protein, will nearly 
double the yield of milk. The farmers are beginning 
to learn its value and each year the demand for it 
is increasing. 
The peas are graded at the cannery into five sizes, 
and if the largest shall be tender and juicy and not 
inclined to split, are paid for at the rate of three 
cents per pound. Should there be hard peas in the 
largest size the grading is reduced to medium 
quality, which brings two cents per pound. 
Below is actual cost of crop and receipts: 
RECEIPTS. 
5 acres Alaska (early) 20 loads averaging 788 
lbs., about Yz medium, 2Y 2 c, fancy 3c.$399.61' 
2 acres Advancers (medium) 5 loads averaging 
463 lbs., fancy 3c . 69.39 
;> acres Market Garden (late) 20 loads averag¬ 
ing 861 lbs., fancy ... .•. 517.02 
COST. 
8 days team plowing 4.50 .. . 
8 days team harrowing . 
Hired team. 
Hired man . 
Farmer’s time . 
Farm team hauling. 
Cost of pea seed . 
3100 lbs. fertilizer, 1-10-5 . . . 
$986.02 
$ 36.00 
36.00 
31.50 
11.84 
24.00 
34.00 
172.80 
41.85 
Receipts . 
Total cost 
$387.99 
$986.02 
387.99 
Balance 
.$598.03 
MRS. HENRY BURDEN. 
THE NEW CURRENCY LAW. 
Part III. 
ELASTIC CURRENCY.—When there is a call for 
a large amount of money to move the crops the large 
volume of loans to the farmers and buyers of pro¬ 
duce will be used to increase the volume of money in 
circulation. When these loans are paid the Federal 
notes will be retired. The new system embodies 
some of the views of the extreme radicals of the 
past. What was considered radical a few years ago 
is considered very conservative now. The present 
national banking law has been in force for 50 years. 
It was enacted at the close of the Civil War. The 
basis of the national bank notes is the National 
debt. The national banks purchase government 
bonds and deposit them with the government and 
receive national bank notes for circulation. That 
system limits our money supply to the amount of 
our national debt. The national debt is now about 
$2,000,000,000 and has remained nearly constant for 
20 years because it was thought necessary as a basis 
of our money. Under the new Federal law we are 
not limited to government bonds as a basis for our 
money in circulation and we can proceed to reduce 
our national debt and stop paying useless interest 
charges. That would seem to have been the sensible 
plan for years, but some one or some element of 
our body politic has pursuaded us to the contrary 
all these years. During these 50 years we have had 
no less than five panics with tneir great loss of 
property. 
LOANS ON FARM LANDS.—Any member bank 
may make a limited amount of loans on improved 
and unencumbered farms at half their actual value 
on five years time. This provision of the law to¬ 
gether with the six months’ provision for short time 
loans on farm products, or on proposed farm oper¬ 
ations, ought to benefit farmers. In some sections 
of the country as high as 15% is charged farmers for 
these accommodations. The law will tend to lower 
interest rates. 
BANK RESERVES.—The vital feature of the law 
is the provision regarding reserves. Under the 
national banking law the money of the country is 
drained to the cities, and in turn goes to New York 
City for Wall Street speculation, and when needed 
for legitimate business it cannot be had; $240,000,- 
000 of bank reserves were in the maelstrom of Wall 
Street on November 24, 1912. The rast panic was 
a bank panic. When the Federal Reserve Bank is 
established in any district each member bank is re¬ 
quired to maintain reserves. A bank in a reserve 
city must have reserves of 15% of its demand de¬ 
posits and 5% of its time deposits; a bank in a cen¬ 
tral reserve city shall maintain a reserve of 18% 
on demand deposits and 5% on time deposits; a bank 
not in a reserve nor a central reserve city shall hold 
reserves of 12% for demand deposits and 5% for 
time deposits. About half of these reserves must 
be in the bank’s own vaults, and the balance in the 
district Federal reserve bank. It cannot be drained 
off to the 11 all Street banks. It must be retained 
in its own district. This provision is perhaps the 
best provision of the law. Other provisions also are 
aimed to put an end to speculative gambling in 
stocks. The legitimate business of the country is to 
be provided with the means of exchange. The 
business interests of the country are optimistic and 
hopeful for prosperity for the nuny Instead of the 
few. 
f. n. c. 
