, 1861-04-18
AgtisVIiuts.
Rust and smut in WNeat


kernel, Of many Of the grain.bearing plants.
On these they fasten themselves, like the
mistletoe on the oak, or the licheE on the
trunks Of trees, but with far more hurtful
effect. Rust, also known as mildew, and
from its ordinarily red COLOR as rubigo, is
really dense colony Of little plants, each
Of which is in technical botany Q Utedo
RubigO, or U. Frumentl, but now more
commonly known as Puccinea Graminis.
10 warm and vet or foggy summers, it is
believed the invisible spores or seeds Of this
plant floating In the air lodge in the numers
Gus pores, stndding the stems and leaves Of
the grain-Plants, and there vegetate, throw
ing their roots under the bark into the tiss
sues Of the plant and drawing off into
themselves the nutriment that should 90 to
the grain, perhaps poisoning the juices of
the plant BY what they return at the same
time. The result is Of course, that the
grain shrinks; Il yields little -four for the
amount Of kernels or bran, and may be
wholly worthless. Perhaps the fungus fixes
itself more readily owing to the fact that in
the muddy seasons fayoring rust, the growth
Of the plants Is rapid and their substance
tender, 50 that minute saP-Vessels may even
burst, and the exuded sap furnish the soil
required 10 start the puccinea spores. This
would show why the disease most frequently
attacks the crop on low and rich spots, that
send fDrth an undue luxuriance of straw.
Stiff clay soils, and next to these sandy
loans most frequently escape; and in .
hot and dry summer the danger on ary soil
is least Close valleys. or strips getting
little change Of air are always in danger.
White wheat suffers most frequently.
The bearded sorts, and those that are earliest
and have hard stalks, as the May wheat are
the varieties most likely 10 escape. II, as is
probable, the mildeW may come from q
growth on other plants, or from the sOil,
and may be borne for scoreS Of miles, In
winds, then the sowing Of these early and
hard 6temmed kinds in favorable situations.
and Il may Be, also, the letting IN of morr
air BY drilling, in preference to broadcast
sowing, seem 70 be pretty much the only
msans Of prevention. There Is doubtless
one other, aud Important acting on differ
ent principle Sea-shore landS have their
atmosphere charged with salt; and here
Wheil e nearly or quite free from rust. Il
has been recommended 70 follow the seeding
in with or 9 bushels Of salt per acre on
the surface going over again in Nay with q
like quantity Of fresh Stacked lime. The
Halt checks the two rapid Transportation
through the plants, thickens their juices, and
probably aids in giving frInness to the
fbre; besides this, C. attacks the fungus,
'yhen present, as below explained. II with
Sulhout tie above treatment rust appears.
ths following course Is said almost certainly
A. r.L----s -. u. c,l. -
Timeuis Of Mr.. CartWright are given, show
ing The effects Of brine IN checking this dis
casa L uas mixed in the proportion Of
one pouad of salt 70 gallon Of water, and
sprinkled with plasterer's brush, BY man
passing through he rustad wheat with q
pail 6lled With The mixture. One man can
90 over four acres day IL the brine be
proparo1 BY another. In forty.eighi hours the
eiect was manifest. Il L best % apply Il in
cloIdy weather, or in the evening, 50 as TO-
prevent evaporation; but IL it BE- washed
90 by rains, ii must be repeaied. Its mode
Of operation is as follows: The salt ab-
sorbs TIE water IN fungus and Is water is an
ossential constituent Of ell plants OF this
kind, The robbery b fatal to &. The effect
Of TIE early cutting 0f rusted wheat, much
approved d by EfnieFs, is probably similar.
Afler The wheat is cut, the puccinea receives
no fresh accession of water frcm the soil,
and q evaporation soon eKhonsts IL existing
supply, Il parishas. The sap being now
permitted togo 70 the wheat head, ills Il as
usual, Early cutting e the cheaper and.
simpler remedy when L can be done Ia time,
but somo SESSIONS the rust strikes the wheat
90 early IN Tie milk siaiA that it might not
Be aafs 10 cut it, and then sprinkling might
Be advanlageously praetised." s
Smut, the Uredo Segetum Of botanisls, is
but 20 well Known; by some Il Il called
dust-brand, or blight; upon the rye, it is he
ergot Ibis fungus sprineD upon or within
the seed, and, vegetating profusely, totally
supplanls the healthy substance Of the grain,
pr0dncilg . swollen and gumbling black
mass-a sort of graminoal cancer. Like
rust, its less known Of not AZ al along Sea-
coast. Like that disease, It Is in degree
undsr control By jadicio1s selection Of seed
and lhs uss of salt. Probably, seed should
ocoasionally Be wholly renewed, by. purchas-
ing and bringing In new stock and from q
distance This or any seed should Be cates
fully winnoued 70 free it from smut finally
washing Il in'astroug brine ofmiE and water,
skimmiug Of everything that hoats. II The
erain Be known 20 be smutty; repeat with a
froah supplyof brine and on draining inter-
mix thoroughly With la of 10 weight Of
quick lima How a. brining he crop when
n louor or iust previously would serve .
good purpose, aathOritioS have not deter,
ufnrI EII fIiA tt fft taa
For 3 vnrfsty ofrnsons, vheat dholld
b cut uhlle de grain = yet soA enough 70
cqmpr11s between ths ihumb md finger, and
uh1n he bass only of he sialk & kirly