The Placer herald., 1858-11-13
Communicated
Smut in Wheat.

Editor Placer Herald:-In your issue of
October Soth, you quote an article from the
Martinez Gazette, headed "The Cause of
Smut" by correspondent who writes over
the signature of ''Observer," which is about
as "cear as mud" Observer assumes that
the cause of smut sis the want of some ma
terial in the air necessary for the formation of
sound grain" very probable, but if so ma
ture must have been playing some very fan
tastc freaks with the field of wheat that
came under the observation of Mr. Observer,
for he says-"I have seen this season one
field wherein many heads of volunteer wheat
mixed with sowed grain was nearly all smut,
while the latter was entirely free from it,
so nature must have been extracting here
and there through the field the material
necessary for the formation of sound grain,
or else scattering some blighting influence
broadcast over the field pretty much as the
farmer sows his seed. He must be very
close observer to distinguish the product of
the seed left on the field at harvest, from
that sowed on the same ground after being
thrashed. The origin of smut is as much a
mystery as the man who struck Billy Pat
terson-and the knowledge of one would
benefit us about as much as the other, unless
we could apply preventatives. We know
that smut exists, and that if smutty seed be
planted, the crop will be smutty too, unless
we use preventatives. Each and every grain
of wheat has deep channel on one side,
and down or beard on one end, well calcu
lated to retain the puverized smut; so that
if there be any smut in the wheat when
thrashed and soaked, it becomes broken and
reduced to fine black powder by handling;
in consequence Of which nearly all the grain
becomes contaminated with the smut pow
der, and when the grain is put In the ground
in that state, tie young plant feeding on the
nourshment afforded by the grain until it
puts out leaves and roots to extract nour-
ishment from the earth and air, takes up
through the circulation, the communicating
influence of smut sowed with the parent
grain, and produces smut at harvest. Nari-
Gus remedies have been recommended as
preventatives. Soaking the seed wheat in a
strong brine, and drying with ashes; mixing
the wheat with quick lime at the rate of one
bushel Of lime to ten of wheat, and letting
it remain in the heap two or three days; and
soaking in solution Of blue stone, at the
rate of from one to two ounces to tie bushel;
letting it remain in the solution eight to ten
hours. think the blue stone the best pre-
ventative that has yet been discovered-the
caustic nature of the vitriol destroys whatever
smut alheres to the grain, and if we'll done
is certain and cheap preventative against
smut, as |, and number of brother farmers
of my acquaintance can testify: for III no
instance where the wheat was prepared last
fall, by soaking thoroughly in a solution Of
blue stone, was the crop effected by smut.
When the same kind of seed was sowed
without preparation the crop was very smut
ty. If Any one has a better remedy to pro-
pose | would be glad to hear il: in the mean
time shall continue to use the blue stone,
and so will all the farmers of
COON CREEK.