Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-12-07
NATURE OF CORN-SMUT.
A Disease of the Corn Plant Curapie ""i'
by Prevention.

NATURE OF CORN-SMol I.
A Disease of the Corn Plant Curapie ""''
| by Prevention.
! Every farmer knows what corn smut
is and how it bursts from all parts OIL
the plant, the stem, the leaves the eai
and the tassel. The spores are the
brownish dust which forms masses upon
various parts OF the plant, and which
are the matured form OF the tleshy ex-
cresences that are first seen upon the
plant. In this respect the parasite bears
some resent lance to an ordinary pun
ball, at first spongy, feshy substance
changing in time to a mass OF hne dtis'
or powder In the corn smut this mass
is oily and adherent. The spores fall
upon the ground, where they remain
until corn plant appears, when they
become attached to the stem and ger
minating, send threadlike branches
into the pores Of the plant, where these
again branch, forming com. Heated,
tangled mass of the threadlihe myce-
lium that in time causes the tissues OF
the plant to swell and form a prominent
bunch or tumor. These threads soon
bear the spores at their ends, the spores
increasing from the outside inward I'M
til the swelling becomes q mass OF
blackish-brown powder Of Shiny con-
sistence. These pores are rounded
bodies so small that 25,000 of them
placed in line will measure an inch and
625, 900, 900 of them occupy surface OF
one inch square; an ordinary smut ball
upon corn plant will thus
be made up of countless mil
lions, and sufficient in number to
spread over many acres of ground and
still leave the spore so near together
that "A corn plant could scarcely escape
them. The ease with which parasite
spreads through a corn field is therefore
explained as well as the difficulty OF
preventing its attack once the soil ID
stocked with the spores. 1t is believed
that the parasite attacks the corn plant
at the first joint above the root. This
is the opinion of the observer Kuhn,
who has studied corn smut carefully
and perseyeringly for many years. Our
own observations, however, lead to the
belief that the mycelium proceeding
from terminating spore enters the
roots, for we have found the balls OF
immature smut upon the plant at the
roots and upon the aerial or brace roots.
This, however, is immaterial. It il
quite within possibility no doubt, thai
in dry time the spores may be raised
by the wind and, floating in the air,
lodged upon any part of the plant and
terminating there, find easy entrance
through the stomata or air tubes which
exist in the leaves and stem as well.
These spores seem to terminate equally
well in dry or wet seasons, and some
dry seasons have been marked by severe
outbreaks of it, The repetition of corn
crops consecutiyely upon the same
ground favors the increase of the para.
| site. In our own Investigations this has
been found to be the case so much SC
that the seventh successive crop of corr
was almost completely destroyed by tn.
smut, only very few plants escaping.
This fact, and another given by Mr.
Scribner, the pathologist of the depart.
ment, VIZ, that the parasite is able to
enter only the young plants, may be
turned to useful account in attempts to
avoid its attacks.
Remedies are unavailing. Prevention
is the only cure for this disease of the
corn plant. These are not given az
July as might be in the report referred
o. The cutting out and burning of the
diseased plants securing the destruction
OF the spores is self-evident means Of
prevention, and this is recommends in
ne report Other remedies which have
'een tried and found effective by the
writer are to avoid planting corn after
'orn IN all cases to pull up on sight
"heh the corn is worked every Young
plant that IS affected, and before tbe
smut Is mature and the seed spores ara
ripe; to select the seed from healthy
pants and to steep it in the same kind
81 solution that is used for preparing
wheat for the same purpose, viz. fo,r
ounces OF sulphate of copper in n oaI.
ION OF water, and to use IL in .,cb !,
quantity that the liquid is wholly nh.
Norped, which is a gallen for five busb.
elS OF corn. AS small quantity of seed
used 1t Is easy to prepare it 50 that
me grains are made to absorb The ann,
dty required, and if the seed is sown hv
machine it is dried for twentv-four
hours after the treatment, We hove
Used similar solution made with com
mon satpetre at the rate of one Mound
10 the gallon of water and this has
acted as useful stimulant to the oer,n
nation OF the seed as well as n safe.
guard against the damage so often done
ny oirds' The use of artificial fer,iI.
'zerS only for the corn crop is a means
u safety from the parasite, for the rea-
son mat the chemicals used are fatal 20
'uhSolo growths, and manure is ono %
the most effective means of snreadin =,
and encouraging them.-Hepy,, So,
&" y. L. Times. '''
impatient Husband - "Wboro j.
the world have Won boouo