Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1893-02-24


and discolored grains. which contains
If net millions. Of smut |
spores or seeds, and when crushed are
found to emit fetid odor which great
" Injuries flour made from the wheat.
Enough Of these seeds are broken by
threshing and handling loo thorough
ly infect the SEED for tho next crop.
These smut spores terminate and
grow in the grain stalk, feeding upon
it as parasite, and are difficult to dis
cover while the plant is growing.
Smut can bs entirely eradicated and
prevented BY treating the seed by
either of several methods. all of which
are laborious for such large quantities
of seed as are used in North Dakota,
but neve: theless many times repay the
cost Of treatment. The following
method, known Ms the Jensen or hot
water treatment, discovered by j. L.
Jensen, of Denmark, in 1887, and uni
versallv considered the simplest. cheap.
est and best, is the only method it is
thought best to give here.
THE ROT WATER TREATMENT.
This method consists of immersing
the seed in water heated to about 1921
degrees for fifteen minutes, which is
found to skill the smut spores and not
injure the seed in the least, but on the
contrary to hasten its examinations and
increase its vitality.
Have two lxrge kettles or wash boil.
ers with hot water, and a barrel or tab
with cold water. tits best to arrange
them IN the arc Of circle equi-distant
from a post about two feet higher than
tho tops Of the kettles and barrel or
tub. in the top of which post is ring
or wooden or iron pin. Then have a
pole or lever several feet long, with an
anger hole IN one end in case the top
of the post has pin, and nse the other
end MS a handle of tho lever thus made.
At the proper distance from the posts
hang the basket or sack containing the
seed to be treated, and by means of the
lever you can swing it and lift it frsm
one kettle or tub to the other and i'm.
merse it in the water. The kettles or
boilers may be set on lew cook stove
Or over any ki1d of n slow fire.
A bushel basket will answer to hold
the seed while treating 1t, as will a
course gunny sack, or anything that
will let the water through readily. Per.
haps the best thing is basket made
from screen wire by hanging it to q
proper frame. Into this basket or sack
place half bushel of seed At a time, or
more if the vessels are large enough,
and dip 1t into the first kettle or boiler
for minute and shake it about to in.
sure thorough wett,ng of all the seed.
This first kettle must be heated to from
ITO to $50 degrees, and the object Of
dipping the seed in it is simply to warm
it 50 that it will not cool the second
kettle too much when placed therein;
AS unless the seed is warmed first it will
be difficult to keep the second kettle at
a temperature hot enough to kill the
smut spores. After thus plunging the
seed into tho first kettle for a minute
and shaking it about and raising 1t up
and down, lit 1t out and let it drain 4
moment and then dip 1t into the second
kettle, which is heated to 1872 degrees,
and allow it to remain fifteen minutes,
being shaken and agitated as much rs
possible during the time. Great care
must be taken not to let the tempera-
turs rise above 1876 degrees or the seed
will be injured; and on the ether hand
the water must not fall below 1870 de.
grees or the smut will not be killed. If
the temperature rises 10 1874 or 135 de.
grees the time of immersion should be
reduced. Five minutes at 1876 degrees,
or or ton m,nutes 1t a 1873 or 1874 de.
grees will be safe; but the best results
are accomplished bv immersion for
fifteen minutes at temperature OF
1921 degrees. Have at hand a vessel of
boiling water, and another of cold wa
ter, with which to regulate the temper
ature of the first two kettles or boilers.
After thus immersing the seed for fif.
teen minutes in the hot water, dip it in
to the barrel or tub of cold water for a
moment, and spread it out to dry. Then
second portion of seed can be treated
in the same way.
If thoroughly dried, the treated seed
can be stored; but owing to the Difficult
ty IN accomplishing this, it will doubt
less be better to treat the seed only a
day or two before it is to be sown. 1t
can be sown as soon as it has dried
enough 50 that the grains do lot stick
together. Wheat will dry in a few
hours SO that it can be sown with a
drill; but eats dry more slowly, and it
may be better to SOW them broadcast
after treatment.