The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-03-09
su,,,t of Indian Corn.

rha latest bulletin of the Ohio Expert
E 1t station treats of the corn smut and
q 49, r,ildew and brown rot Of grapes.
ANY person who has planted corn knows
a - snut is in its final development,
.bongh he may know nothing as to its true
nature and origin.
ordinarily in the south the damage
81 counts to q very small percent
b aro Int in seasons favorable for the devel-
b oor,ant of smut the loss may be considera-
Ma amounting to from 10 per cent. to 20 per
cent. Of the crop.
The writer saw several fields in Haber-
,bam county the rast summer where smut
vas exhibited on IS per cent. or more of the
eaIlzs. and the loss was no small matter.
The bulletin referred to says: Smut
doss not pass from plant to plantin the corn
saId y If the farmer finds smut appearing
!, the field he need not suppose that he can
! do anything to check it during that season.
4 smutted stalk is entirely harmless to the
.nrrounding ones, so far as the danger OF
communicating the disease is concerned.
The infection took place when the corn was
very young, and all which escaped then are
safe after. This fact is of great Importance
h in determining what shall be the nature of
the remedy to be used to prevent if possible
damage from smut
II There are several precautions which may
he taken by the farmer to reduce the
amount of smut upon his farm, but nothing
& ran be done to check it after the fungus has
once appeared on the plant. When once the
& SHUTS have taken hold of the plant we can
do nothing to help it. We must content
ourselves with taking all possible precau-
tons to prevent the formation and disper-
sion of the spores First, great pains should
E be taken to keep the ground from becoming
81 filed with the spores Of corn smut. 1t is a
well known fact that where corn smut is
freely scattered upon the ground the corn
the next year is much more liable to be
smu tied than if grown upon clean soil.
The following experience with corn smut
3 is given to show how soil may become filed
with the spores. A few years ago, says Mr..
Bessey, the following case came under my
observation at t'le State Agricultural Col
lege. A piece of land about three-quarters
Of an acre was planted to sweet corn for
table use. Son1e smut made its appearance
the first year, but it was all allowed to fall
back to the ground and was plowed under.
q The next year the same ground was planted
a to corn and the smut on it was still more
abundant, but again it was allowed to fall
upon the ground, and was plowed under
with the stalks. Corn was again planted on
q the land the third year, and this time fully
two-thirds Of the ears were affected with
& smut-in fact, the smut was so abundant
81 but very little corn was gathered and the
Fl crap was abandoned. The ground was now
80 filed with smut it could not grow corn,
ID and it was assigned to other crops. This
shows the value of and need for rotation OF
crops.
Corn smut is entirely distinct from the
the smuts which affect wheat, oats or bar.
n ley, and the latter are not affected by corn
B smut
Smut may be applied to land through the
instrumentality of manure dropped by cattle
Z that have eaten some of the smut.
The only practical method of preventing
the spread of corn smut lies in rotating the
crop, and in treating the seed previous to
B planting with blue vitriol blue stone. as il
is generally called. Take one pound of blue
stone and dissolve in one gallon Of water.
Soak the seed in this solution fifteen to
twenty minutes and then plant.
1t is also well to dry Off the seed for
planting by rolling it in quick lime until the
seed are thoroughly coated with the lime.