Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-01-01
.fsrn. ma Ia,lsesasd.
Corn Smut aud Dead Cattle.


THE news comes to us from various
parts of the country, that cattle are dying
In large numbers since they nave Deen
turned into the fields from which the corn
has been gathered, and it Is generally be-
leved 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 paris
OF the stalk, leaves, and especially on the
ears of corn, in the form of a dark,
spongy growth, sometimes OF a blush
black or purple color. This substance in
sreases very rapidly in size, and some
times forms masses five or six inches IN d.
ameter. The growth of this variety OF
fungus on the corn is usually attributed
to wounds and bruises on the corn plant,
inflicted during the process OF cultivation:
The sweet nitregenized sap oozes out, and
receives one or more spores which are
floating in the air, or, in the opinion OF
some, spontaneously developes this para
site vegetation. 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,
1t ls much more common than formerly.
1t is affirmed by some that the application
OF salt to the land will insure the crop
against the appearance of this species OF
disease .-itieAaAL
Cattle will rarely, if ever, touch stalk
or leaf OF, corn in which this substance
has appeared but when quantity of it
is surrounded by husks and is mixed with
the prongs of ears partially covered with
corn, they will eat it readily for the sake
OF the nutritious matter that it encloses or
is mingled with it. As this smut is i'm
pervious to water, it will remain dry in
the stomach of the animal, and in no con.
dition to be raised by rumination. Some
think that it simply causes an infamma-
ton of the mucous membrane of the first
stomach, as other in6igestible substances
would while others believeth it engen-
ders the production of other fungi which
result in the decomposition of the blood
and of the. animal tissue. +, 4.a.0 -aat
Recently a disease. has broken out in
Story county, Iowa, among the cattle that
have been turned among the corn-stalks
At least hundred have died !; 8 several
farmers having lost as many as ten, and
as smut was very abundant in the fields in
which the animals were feeding, it is gen.
orally thought that it was the occasion OF
the malady. Professor Townshend, of the
lows 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 th ese gentlemen were right or
wrong in their opinion, it is certain that
till the effect of smut on the animal sys-
tenn has been determined with degree OF
certainty, by experiment and scientific in
vestigation, farmers cannot be too careful
about turning their stock into eorn-felds
where smut is known to exist Pains
should be taken during the cultivation OF
the crop to remove all these excresences
as soon as they appear, so that the spores
which they produce shall not be carried
about the field. AT the husking season it
will be comparatively easyTto cut; of
every stalk, leaf or ear on which the smut
has made its appearance. and either bury
them a considerable distance in the
ground, or what is better, apply the torch
TO them for it would not be advisable to
carry them through the field in order to
bury them Prairie Farmer. -N