Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-01
fayu, aud Auustnuid.



TuE news comes 10 us from various
rsrts of the country, that cattle are dying
II large numbers since they have been
turned into the fields from which the corn
has been gathered, and Il b generally be-
lieved that the cause Of their death is to
be attributed to their eating smut As
every farmer is aware, this smut Is liable
TO make its appearance on various parts
of the stalk, leaves, and especially on the
ears Of corn, in the form Of a dark
spougy growth, sometimes Of blush.
black or purple color. This substance in.
sreascs very rapidly in size, and some
times forms masses five or six inches in di.
ameter. The growth Of this variety of
fungus on the corn is usually attributed
10 wounds and bruises on the corn plant,
inflicted during the process of cultivation.
The sweet nitrOgenizcd sap oozes out, and
receives oye or more spores which are
floating in TIE air, or, in the opinion of
some, spontaneously developes this para.
site veg, tation. This species of fungus
growth seems to be more frequent in sea.
sons when there are extremes Of heat and
cold, and of moisture and dryness and In
the opinion of many intelligent farmers,
Il is much more common than formerly
II Is affirmed by some that the application
Of salt to the land will insure the crop
against the appearance of this species oi
disease.
Cattle will rarely, II ever, touch stalk
or leaf Of corn in which this substance
has appeared but when a quantity of II
is surrounded by husks and is mixed with
the prongs of ears partially covered with
corn, they will eat II readily for the sake
of the nutritious matter that Il encloses OF
is mingled with IL. As this smut Is i'm.
pervious to water, II will remain dry in
the stomach Of the animal, and In no con.
dition ~ be saised by rumination. Some
think that il simply causes an inflamms.
tion Of the mucous membrane of the first
stomach, as other indigestible substances
would while others believe that it engen-
ders the production sf other fungi which
result in the decomposition of the blood
and Of the animal tissue.
Recently disease has broken out II
Story county, Iowa, among the cattle thai
have been turned among the corn. stalk 3
At least a hundred have died severa
farmers having lost as many as ten, ant
as smut was very abundant in the fields In
which tho animals were feeding, II is gen
orally thought that II was the occasion OF
the malndy. Professor Townshend, of the
Iowa Agricultural College, and Doctor
Sprague, of Ames, made post mortem
examination of four of these cattle, and
gave an opinion adverse to that which
was generally held in the community.
Whether these gentlemen were right or
wrong In their opinion, it is certain that
till the effect of smut on the animal sys-
TEN has been determined with degree OF
ccrtinty, ~ experiment and scientific in.
vCstgatian, farmers cannot be too careful
about turning their stock into corn fields
where smut is known to exist Pain.
should he taken during the cultivation oI
TIE crop to remove all these eNcrcsencc,
as soon as they appear, so that the spores
which they produce shall not be carried
about the field. At the husking season il
will be comparatively easy TO cut of
every stalk, leaf or ear on which the smut
has made its appearance, and either bury
them a considerable distance in thu
ground, or what is better, apply the torcl
% them; for it would not be advisable I,
carry them through the field in order Il
bury thCm -Erdirio Farmer.