Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1894-03-22
Smut IN w heat

Smut In Wheat.
S Sinking smut Or bunt 81,
wheat is the result 81 d pnrasltic ful.
gus plant which grows inside oi the
wheat and is propagated By very
minute spores. This fungus gruwn
into the wheat plant while the Hitter
Is very Young The spores IN ger
'ninating send minute thrca:a-iiiiire
growths into the tissues ofthe Young
wheat. These thread-like stems 81
che smut plant rapidly grow; send
of branches and eventually some 81
these recch the grim before itripens.
IN some grnins these thread like
growths 81 the smut plant produce
an immense number 81 spores which
iii the seed, taking the place that.
would otherwise be filled with gluten
md starch. Grain which are thus
filed with these spores bf smut are
lighter, and ui i darker color than
the sound grains Of wheat and are
rather easily broken, letting the
spores free to be scattered through
out the mass Of grain. This smut
gives to tile wheat or -four an often
sive odor, and also Injuries the color
of the -four. It's impossible to en-
#tirely clean smutty wheat md the
miller will not pay as lsigl, j, pricefor
grain wl,iel. has the characteristic
odor by which the presence OF smut
is determined. Where smutty wheat
is soWn nntreated, some OF these
black spores, attaching to the good
kernels of wheat, grow ard find their
way into the yo,ing wheat plants.
a REMEDY
Dissolve one pound of .blue-stone
"copper" Sulphate) ina puilfnl and Il
half OF water (,tkont three gallons)
and sprinkle, the solution ON ten
bushels Of seed wheat, previously
spread in a tight wagon box, orr on
4 clean floor in barn or house, keen
ing the grain constantlyst;rred Will,
the solution il being applied, and
mixing the Whole thoroughly sotllat
every kernel OF wheat may bewette,l.
In u very few hours the seed will be
in good condition to SOW with tile
drill. A good plan is ts apply the
treatment IN the evening and SOW
the grain the following morning. Il
the water is used warm and the
Jumps OF blue-stone be broken, tile
solution may be made III IL few min
Iutes. As the solution OF blue-stont
lessons in some degree the germinat
ing power OF the wheat, and more sc
when it remains long in contact Will
it, the safe plan is to treat the seet
but a short time before sowing
As the solution may not penetr,,t,
all unbroken grains OF "bunt'' III sui
ficient quantity to destroy al spore.
thorough cleaning should lie practic
ed. By using the full power of tn,
ian on an ordinary tanning mill mos
OF these lighter ,bunt'' grains vii
he blown out. Cleaning pays 10
other reasons also. A very fey
quarts more OF the treated seed pc
acre should be snWn. Druggists q
grocers can purchase blue stone o
good quality Of wholesalers in st
Paul or Minneapolis so that the,
can sell it to farmers ut about tel
cents per pound.
In dry spring weathcrsome farmers
in the dry climate Mt Indian Hea.
were in the habit Of making up TIL
solution OF the strength lnentione,
and then dipping the wheat in Ioos
bags into the solution and letting j
dry in the bags. In our moister eli
mate this would probably be irljari
GUS. us in many instances I'll
Inmount OF Watsr absorbed by til
wheat would probably cause it {,
spoil unless spresld out and dried
As we are anxious TO nall pnssi
BILE regarding this nn,tter NC wonl'
be pleased TO set reports from All.
Who hive had practical experience
WILLET n. HAYS,