Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-11-05
Fwm the Maine Farmer.
Rust on Grain, What is it,

i,hmcut.
A,a discussion hell at the Illinois State
Fair. the subject Of rust on grain was start
cd. and elected remarks from several Of the
grain growers present.
The various theories brough, forward,
prove that the minds Of farmers are no, set
tied as to the true cause. /, is n, posi-
he tha, they can he, until moro extended
observations shall have been made, and more
careful experiments instituted.
The theory Of a fungus constituting what
we call the rust, has been combatcd by some
on the ground, that. although there is, YER.
lis, fungus there, as shown by tho micro.
se5pc, Il is an eject rather than cause /;
that the sap vessels Of the wheat or other
grain plant become disteudcd by ,oo much
sap. occasioned by too much f,od in the soil,
which !. drawn up too bountifully in con.
sequence oC the stimulating warm damp
weather, which always prJccC.ls the appear.
ancc Of rust. The sap vessels burst, the sap
eHudcs on the straw. and the seeds Of tie
fungus then attach themselves and flourish,
giving the red appearance.
McCord, Of Marion coan,y saii, have
paid a good dea, Of attention to this subject
having bad my attention called to I, by
naturalist when was boy; have cNamin.
81 it on both wheat and oats in its different
stages with a glass. On the hrs, cSamina-
,ion n seems 10 be covered with living ami
malculg, but subsequent examination with
a seyenty.fve multiplicr glass discloscs a
putrid eIcre.ccnce covered with minute in
S,cts. II YOU wet the straw, no insects are
drsccrnable, but after dew or rain, they
are visible, but only with this powerful
glass.
Others attribute the rust 70 acidity in the
son. Lindley. Of Chicago. has experiment
cl and observed relative to this rust fifteen
years, think. j; 3. CAUSED BY too much ac-
iiity in the -oi. he commenced " book
farming" fifteen years ago. Prepared bis
land ior potatoes by sowing on ashes, lime
and sal, before pIowlns-a light tor dress
ins planted the potatoes and covered them
with two furrows, old farmers snecrcl At
him, bu, their potatoes rd't"i and his dti
not Experimental otherwise, and believes
that the application oi alkalie. will prevent
rust. After dry and ho, summer days and
cold winters, there /. no rust, Believes fall
plowins best Cor oats, spring plowing
leave, the ground too mellow. Pack the
s,i with a roller It is better for all
grains.
McCorl-A gentleman in Washington
county said to me, e" expect am the on
" man in the county that knows how TO
rai~, oats. Rust i occaaoned by too much
acid in the s,il. I neu,raliro it-le, my
land lie still year. cut The weed. and burn
them plow in the flll aud .ow upon the
snow IN March; RAISED for,y.avc bushels
Per acre this year"
In this State, IL YOU wan, TO have rusty
grain. SOW the seed late on land highly ma
nurcl with animal manure and you will be
sure when dog days set in, aud the weather
becomes moi., aud sul,ry. or "mussy," as
it is hmiliarly called, to have rus, to your
hearts content. On the contrary, II you
.5w early on land Of good heart, and ulth,
well dressed with mineral manurcs, such Us
lime,-pla.,er-phospha,e Of lime tbone-
dust.) YOU will be h,,lc, II any, troubled
with rust: Now the question occurs, {
rus, /. fungus, CROWN. from ''el attach
ius itself T. the stalk Of the grain, why DO
we not see i, on the grain that is growing
On soil containing listlc or no animal ma
nurc?
Perhaps il will be sail thai the seed does
attach it.elf there. bu, a' the stalk Is not
very succuleut, 1t proves too barren for it,
and /, will not grow. In regard TO the the
ory Of its being caused by acidi,y in the
.oil. there i some show Of truth, but an OBJ
sc,ion j. raised, as follows
Rust .. generally universal throughout a
whole district, aud !, generally comes on
.uddcply. sometimes all the fields in whole
district will be struck with rest Ia single
night. l. il probable tha, all the fields
in the district are surcharged with aeidi-
y'
These contradictory statements and views
prove the unsettled state Of the question,
and the necessity Of more careful, exact and
minute investigations in regard to the sub
Jet II !, one OF no snail importance, as
/, involves the supply Of breads,uii., and
consequently the welfare, comfort, and even
lives Of the people.
. - 80 w.. Sw,rv Soma farmpra