Sulphur and Lime Mixture for Fruit Trees.

Otago Witness, Issue 1933, 7 December 1888, Page 10

Sulphur and Lime Mixture for Fruit Trees.

There are many mixtures recommended for dressing fruit trees, some of which will the insects, some kill the trees, and others kill both if used as directed by the Vendors. The following is the best I have tried ; it can be made by anyone, is quite harmless, and, as far as my experience goes, birds will not touch it. The ingredients are: A quarter peck or more of quite fresh quicklime, a pint of sulphur, and soft soap. Choose lime that weighs very lightly, dip a few of the lumps in or sprinkle with water 'hot water is the quickest in action), and place iv a bucket or other vessel. Sprinkle a little of the sulphur thinly over it, then add more lime just damp enough to slack, and more sulphur on the top of it, repeating this till all the sulphur is used. When the lime is slack it will bo seen that the sulphur is quite dissolved and is scarcely visible, except in the darker-colour it has given to the lime: The quantity of lime used ia not important, so long as there is sufficient to dissolve the sulphur. The soft soap should be dissolved separately, and afterwards mixed with the lime and sulphur, and sufficient water added to make three gallons in all. If the

mixture is not thick enough to apply with a brush, clay or more lime may be added ; if the glaring white is objected to mis soot with it. __ If mixed in the way I have described, and applied in dry weather, no amount of rain will wash it off ; but if lime is used that has been some time exposed to the air the sulphur will not properly dissolve, and the first shewer will wash all away. It is necessary to caution my readers .against dissolving the sulphur in a' house -containing plants in a growing state, the gas emitted will burn up every leaf just as completely as if fire had been used. I have, however, never found trees injured from being painted with this mixture; it ia only the sulphurous gas that is dangerous, and that, probably, would not injure plants in a dormant state. — Mr Tayiob, in "Journal of Horticulture."