Show j horticultural I 1 hints 0 GOOD BOR BORDEAUX D E A U X S substitute U B encouraging experiments have been made with pickering Pio kering sprays quite efficient efforts to obtain a copper fungicidal spray for fr fruits u its and vegetables that would be as efficient as but less expensive than standard bordeaux bor denus mixtures have led t to encouraging experiments with the rickering pickering bordeaux bord caux sprays the results of which are contained in a bulletin now issued by the united states department of agriculture e the high price of copper aulph sulphate ate known as bluestone or blue vitriol during the war caused chemists of the department to turn their attention to the picker ing bordeaux sprays which contain less of this high priced chemical the so called pickering bordeaux sprays had bad been tested to a limited extent in Eu england gland where laboratory tests indicated that they were more efficient per unit of copper than the bordeaux sprays pickering sprays sometimes called pickering Ilme limewater water sprays are prepared by mixing saturated limewater with dilute solutions of copper sulphate and contain their copper in the form of basic copper sulphates if the results obtained by pickering the british chemist from whom the sprays get their name in the laboratory in england hold true under field beld conditions in america I 1 it t Is obvious that a great saving in copper in this athla country may be effected it Is believed that the experiments by the department lay a basis tor for further studies to be conducted in various parts of the country the opinion Is expressed that tha from the information provided in the bulletin the various agricultural experiment stations and other agencies in the country will be able to devise formulas for copper fungicidal sprays for certain crops made with less copper sulphate than standard bordeaux which will prove lust just as effi efficient clent as the more expensive spray it would be impracticable it Is pointed out tor for the department to devise derise these formulas itself field conditions vary in different sections of the country and experiments would have to be conducted in these different sections in order to work out a spray suitable to local needs no injurious effects followed the application of pickering bordeaux sprays to potatoes in maine or to cranberries in new jersey the sprays however proved to be too caustic for use on apples in virginia or on grapes in new jersey and virginia pickering packer bordeaux sprays it is said mid cannot be used on tender foliage barium water sprays of the pickering type made with barium instead of lime and containing the equivalent of a 7 per cent of copper sulp sulphate bate proved very successful against the late blight of potatoes in maine such a spray ionta containing ining the equivalent of 6 per cent of copper sulphate was tested one season in virginia and did not injure the foliage or fruit of the apple trees department bulletin pickering sprays a report of the results of the experiments may be had upon request of the united states department of agriculture washington D C |