This book covers the discovery and development of the Bordeaux mixture by Pierre Marie Alexis Millardet. This discovery was significant in the history of plant pathogen control. The Bordeaux mixture was the first fungicide to be widely used throughout the world.

The translation of several of Millardet’s classic articles about the origin of the copper sulphate [sic] and lime mixture (Bordeaux mixture) as a fungicide was undertaken in connection with the review of literature for the translator’s doctoral dissertation at West Virginia University. The translations were made from photostatic prints of the original articles that appeared in the Journal d’ Agriculture Pratique, which were found in the library of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Three articles are included in this publication: “Treatment of Mildew and Rot”; “Treatment of Mildew by the Mixture of Copper Sulphate and Lime”; and “Concerning the History of the Treatment of Mildew with Copper Sulphate.”

The Discovery of Bordeaux Mixture

Treatment of Mildew and Rot