Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-05
Rust-What Causes IL,

Eds. Prairie Farmer Under the above
head in last week paper, 4. S. N, asks for
the cause, prevention and cure of red or leaf
rust on wheat. believe it is caused by high
winds breaking the fibre of the leaf and letting
the sap Ooze out, and coming in contact with
the atmosphere, forms the red rust If this is
80, belts of timber would be preventive, (the
trees would be good whether they favored the
wheat or not) and would invite my brother
farmers to note the appearance Of this rust in
coming years and see If it does not N axe Its ap-
pearance soon after one or more days Of high
wind. ID LOVE
In many instances which have been brought
to our notice this season, fields protected by
groves Of timber, or elevated ground, from the
severe wind lat the time the rust attack ed the
wheat generality were and are entirely exempt
from the rust. 1t is now generally conceded
that rust is parasite, and the severe heating
wind probably assisted to break the epidermis
and afford lodgment for the parasite. We
copy the following from "Klippart's wheat
plant"
Rust is q mushroom of the family of the ure-
din,s. It is developed upon both surfaces of
the leaves, upon the stubble and upon the heads
Of the grsmine with the appearance of little
oval points, pulverulent, projecting, at first
yeliowish, and afterward becoming black.
The little streak which it at first forms in par
alel lines at the side of the fbres finally spread
and Joining, form large patches. When the
rust attacks the grain only feebly, it does not
appear to be very injurious to 1t, but when it
| is considerable, it occasions serious losses
Among all the gramins wheat appears to be
| the favorite of rust.
If the streaks formed by the rust be atten-
lively examined upon the stalk, but particular
| ly upon the leaf Of wheat, the epidsrmis will
be found split in every instance, and it will
not be difficult to perceive that the sap extra
vasated by this split gives birth to the mush-
room, or at least that it serves as a receptacle
| to the spores OF this mushroom, raised from the
ground by the rains, carried through the air
| by the winds, or, what is perhaps more prob
able, absorbed in the earth with the nourishing
juices Of the plant. II has been remarked that
the rust ordinarily shows itself when q very
hot sun suddenly succeeds rains which have
Il been somewhat prolonged. It Is at the time
when the evaporation Of the water left on the
stocks and leaves, going on too rapidly, occas-
| ions cracks in the epidermis or vitrsous var
nish, which covers all parts, and thus permits
the sap to defect from its ordinary course, that
circumstances favorable to the development of
| the mushroom sre presented to its spores,
whether they come from the interior or exte-
| rior. From the time, also, when a stalk Of
| wheat lis attacked by rust In somewhat Sc
rious manner, 1t begins TO lsnguish; its leaves
quickly begins to dry up, and when the rains
are infrequent, the malady proceeds from the
stalk to the head, which also soon turns red
drying and adhering to this soon occasions Its
decomposition, as much by the moisture retain.
ed by II as that which Is maintained by the
streaks of the mushroom fixed upon its glumes
II will not be rare Ii these cases to see fields
Of wheat produce less than half what they
would have done without this accident.
The more, then, that heat and moisture
permits the sporulesor seminiform germs of the
rust to attach themselves to the stalks of the
grain, and develop themselves there, the great
or v iii be the damage 1t may cause. There are
certain places, as in South Carolina, for sx.
ample, where the cultivation of wheat had to
be abandoned, because the natural humidity of
the soil. conjoined with the mists, which pre-
vail 90 frequently in that country, too greatly
favor the development of rust. On the CONTRA
~, ii has been remarked that, in the vicinity
Of the sea, or in grounds improved by means Of
lime or leached ashes, or manured with sea
plants, the rust never exhibits itself in such
abundance as to cause any considerable dam.
age. The following seems TO be the reason:
There is found upon most Of the gramina and
particularly upon wheat, acertain shining var
nish absolutely Of the same material as glass.
Most commonly this vitreous material termi-
mates the edges Of the leaves by little teeth,
resembling saw of extreme fnenese, but al
ways capable Of scratching the fingers of those
who carelessly amuse themselves BY frequently
rubbing these leaves in the direction OF their
length. The greater then, the thickness of this
CLASSY layer, and the stronger the stalk, the
greater will be Its resistance to the moisture or
other atmospheric influences, which might
cause IL to crack and present false issues TO the
sap upon which the rust attaches itself And
It is imagined (coneeived) that siayer Of Wit
reous material will be stronger in proportion as
the soil itself contains or. e are furnished ar
tifcislly, the elements Of It's composition. 1t
is well known that 10 produce glass, sand is used
with lime and ashes, which are melted togeth-
or by heat, although each one Of these substan-