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 spray, 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 Ib. to 1 gal. water. Slake lime and dilute at rate of 1 Ib. 
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 
cornbined 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 Ib. per 50 gals, of 
spray for the ordinary insects. Beetles usually require 1)^ 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 . % Ib. 
Water .. ’ll gals. 
Dissolve the caustic soda in 1 gal. water in a large vessel; stir in vigorously the creosote, 
add 11 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 
lining of the bprers. Take out the borers in May, mound up the earth, and worm again 
in October, leaving the earth level around the tree. 
