Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


 STOCK SOLUTION A, BLUESTONE: Dissolve at the rate of
1 pound of bluestone to 1 gallon of water; put 50 pounds of blue-
stone into a clean bag and suspend it in the top of a 50-gallon
barrel of water. It will dissolve over night. Never use a metal
container for this purpose. Always stir the stock solution before
taking any out.

 STOCK SOLUTION B, LIME: Slake 50 pounds of rock lime
and dilute it in 50 gallons of water. Be careful not to drown or
burn the lime while slaking. Always stir the stock solution be-
fore taking any out. Do not stir the stock solutions with the
same stick.
 Hydrated lime may be used in place of rock lime. If hydrated
lime is used, it is necessary to use one-half again as much as rock
lime. Thus 75 pounds rather than 50 pounds should be used in
50 gallons of water.
 In making Bordeaux mixture observe the following directions:
 Dilute the required amount of bluestone solution to half the
 amount of spray to be made. Dilute the required amount of lime
 in a separate container to half the amount of spray to be made.
 Then pour the contents of the two containers into a third con-
 tainer or spray tank simultaneously, stirring the combined mix-
 ture as the two are poured together. Be sure to place a fine
 strainer either over the faucets on the barrels or on top of the
 spray tank so that all of the liquid will be well strained; this will
 prevent nozzle trouble in the field.

 MIXING PLATFORM. If many acres are to be sprayed during
 the season, it will be quite necessary to construct a mixing plat-
 form where the Bordeaux spray can be conveniently made. The
 first thing to consider is the water supply. Build the platform in
 a place convenient to both the water supply and the field to be
 sprayed. The platform should be well built and high enough to
 permit the solutions to flow by gravity into the spray tank. Upon
 this platform should be built a small platform upon which the
 stock solutions are made. The smaller platform should be ele-
 vated enough so that the stock solutions can flow into the barrels
 on the main platform. By following these principles in a general
 way the laborious job of making Bordeaux mixture is extremely
 simple. Fig. 35 shows a handy mixing platform.
 It is essential that this mixture be applied soon after it is made.
 It is of little value after standing 12 hours.