The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-10-16
AGRICULTURE.

SMUT IN WAEAT.-Smut on grain is
fungus plant that has seeds or spores
lrom which 1t Is propagated. 1t Is de-
pendent upon the sap OF other plants
for Its support. There are many spe-
cies OF smut, some of which have been
studied very carefully, and their habits
are wen known, while tho history Of
others 1s yet quite obscure. Many
species can be examined only under
powerful microscopes. Smut, mildew
ana mold arc all fungus p]ante. The
spores, when mature, may float long
distances IN the air; indeed it Is rarely
that they arc not floating in all air or
ordinary temperature. Wheat seed,
soaked in brine for several hours, is
usually freed from its smut spores.
"Bluc store" Is also used for the same
purpose. and some farmers claim that
clear water Is equally efflcacious in
leaning grain from smut spores. We
nave practised soaking few hours in
prlne With apparent success. When
smut takes possession Of living plant,
ltextends itself by throwing out tn read
llke, dark colored roots among the It's
sues OF the plant, and through which it
draws the sap which is thus diverted
from its natural channels and becomes
the feeder of the parasite instead.
smut, III some Of It's forms, is found
over III large portion of the globe, but
seeds. 1t follows wherever the plants
upon which IL naturally feeds are III
truduced. Onion smut is much more
troublesome OH land that has been infes-
eed Dy 1T IN years past. lew piece Of
land, III some localities, seems the only
means of avoiding loss OF the onion
crop by this fungus. The same Is pro.
DaDly true to limited extent regarding
smut peculiar to wheat ana other
grains, More experiments Of an exact
character are needed for settling these
points. Tho spores are, undoubtedly,
preserved both OH the seed grain and |
In tho soil. Smut Is OF no value as
rood. Several years ago some one In |
vented Il cure for this fungus. 1t was
said at the time it was caused by water
standing in the head of the wheat plant
during hot. sultry weather. TO obviate |
this difficulty and remove the cause, it |
was recommended that a light rope be |
drawn across the standing grain by a
couple of men walking through it ut Il |
convenient distance apart. AS the |
rope passed over the grain it was agita-
ted, and the drops OF moisture fell to |
the ground. Wcncycr had any SIN atty !
wheat. We reproduce the item now, |
80 that those who desire can Try it.
How TO TREAT STARVED TREES.-A
starved tree, like Il starved man, must |
be fed little at time. All the tunc- |
tlons are weak IN such Il condition, and |
must be strengthened by exercise. By |
degrees the old wood should be replaced |
with new growth. Large limbs must
not be removed until there is a return
OF Vigor. 1t is like amputating Il hu-
man limb, and can only be done safely
when there is physical strength enough
TO bear the shock. 1t will take several
seasons to bring about the process of
renewal, but meantime the old trees
VIII bear more fruit; until they will
astontsh the owner with the crops they
yield. Long before new orchard can
become rcmuncrative,a AN old one may be
made to renew its youth and pay hand
expended OH 1t. A person who has
never tried this process can hardly be.
lieye how clfectually and successfully
1t can be accomplished. Trees of fifty
Or sixty years standing may be tho
roughly rejuvcnated by proper treat
mcnt, and however aged it may be, a
tree will seldom fail to respond to care
[ul attention.
n NINDOw-Box.-FOrn window-boX
tor Summer use there is nothing, that
equals the single petunia. Window
boxes, are becoming quite common in
large cities, and are pleasing relief
10 brick walls and cobblc-stones. In
some OF the finest streets the boxes are
ot Minton tile and other expensive
ware, while in other streets, wooden
boxes, tin boxes, tirklns, tomato cans,
lnd what not; but the single petunlu,
whether on Fifth Avenue or Chestnut
street, in Minton tile or tomato cans,
3 the queen of window-boX flowers.
The Germans seem to take great pride
n adorning their windows with l}ow-
,rs, and sometimes have boxes eXten-
ling tho whole front OF the house.
others train morningglories from the
second story to the caves. They look
charming. Pctunias and morning.
slorics alone would give a charm to the
very humblcst OF homes.
city woman says that powdered
oonN literally and pcrsistcntly sprink-
ed in places infested with cockroaches
md water bugs, will clear them out
hot suddenly as l understand, but
as If b0rax didn't tangle
we'll with their legs. And if borax
.Hects these insects, it may prove disa-
sreeablc to house ants and other tribes
)f Vcrmin.