Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-03-05
SMUT.
The Spores Which Do Their Destructive |
Work in Wheat.

The Spores Which Do Their Destructive
Work in Wheat.
There are two kinds of smut on
wheat. For one there is very efficient
and, in every case, practical remedy;
for the other no preventive has been
discovered. They are both species of
vegetable parasites of the great group
of fungi. Both kinds are propagated
by seed-like granules, called spores,
which. indeed, constitute the most of
the sooty material known as the smut.
The spores are exceedingly small, and
only to be seen by the aid of a good
microscope. Of course there are mil
lions of them in the black stuff pro-
duced on one head of wheat; yet, small
under the proper conditions and repro
duce another year the whole amount
found on one wheat plant. The tissues
of the latter become more or less filled
with the fine white thread which makes
up the vegetatlve structure of the smut
plant, and these threads (mycelium),
absorb nutriment from the wheat stem,
ETC.; then penetrate the wheat grain
and produce there the spores. There
is thus one crop of smut each year, as
there is one generation of the wheat.
Both kinds develop their soOty spores
in the young wheat kernel, but with
one the latter retains pretty nearly its
proper shape. though, perhaps, some
what swollen. 1t may, however, be
crushed between the thumb and finger,
and is then found to be of a greasy or
putty-like consistence. and possessed of
an offensive odor. The head of wheat
scarcely shows externally the serious
change that has taken place in the ker-
nels. This disease is called bunt, and
perhaps should be SO named generally
to distinguish it from the next. The
second kind of smut is distinguished
from the foregoing at once by the ap-
pearance of the affected heads, which
can readily be discerned among the
maturing healthy ones. These first
are slender, the chaff open, and the
protrudlng mass of black material, oc-
cupying the place of the wheat grain,
is soon powdery, and is readily carried
in the air as fine dust. There is moth |
ing to be seen of this in the threshed
wheat. unless one examines with mi |
crose0pe for the scattered spores. For
this last kind of smut there is, unfortu-
nately, no feasible remedy. There is |
still need of careful scientific investiga-
ton as to the life process of the fun
gus. and methods of destroying it
For preventing bunt, the kind first |
we have only to treat the
seed grain with a solution of blue
vitriol "copper" sulphate) or, as often
called, bluestone. For this purpose,
dissolve the bluestone, one pound for
every four bushels of wheat, in suffi-
eient water to wet thoroughly the grain
as it is piled on the barn floor, or 9TH
err suitable place. After stirring we'll,
the seed may be left over night in
leap, then sown the next dav, first dry
'ng if necessary by mixing small
Quantity of air-slaked lime Other
'ubstances are found useful by destroy
pg the spores in a similar way, but
!, one are so efficacious as the bluestone.
.lauber's salts (sulphate of soda), cor
tEsive Sublmate, arsenic or even COM
ION salt are more or less effective 1t
lst be understood that this treatment
for killing the spores attached to the
I'D wheat, and care must be taken not
Irpermit contamination in other ways,
-u55y leaving affected heads on the field.
lNoDere successive wheat crops are to be
saased, or by application of unferment-
'nu fron, oattlo fod ;pfaotod |
hes
low lie whole question of remedies for
site fungi imperatvely demands
ed experiments and researches; and
tier use could be made of public
Ivy than to set competent men at
, ING under pay of the State or Nation.
Ivy be in offering prizes for COM
anssve results of Investigations. The
'a is necessarily slow and expensive,
,nu' rtainly is promise of vast pecun-
, 1aa aving to those directly interested
IN iharvests as the outcome of such !
'10 gations.-Prof. BurriH. in Prai-
srnaeT.