The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-09-14
BuIletin on wheat Smut.

Now that farmers are getting ready
to plant wheat they must not overlook
the fact that the time to prevent the
ravages Of smut is when the seed is
being put in the ground. The damage
to grain from smut has been SO serious
that the United States Department Of
Agriculture has issued especial bulletin
on the subject, and it is believed that
with proper effort on the part Of farm
ers the difficulty can in time be eradi-
Gated or prevented 20 a large extent.
There are two kinds OF wheat smut,
the sinking smut attacking the kerr
nels, while loose smut attacks the
whole heads. There are also smuts
which attack barley, corn, and other
grains, but the object at present is to
call attention TO the smuts that damage
wheat. One OF the surprises for the
farmer is that of procuring apparently
clean seed, securing an excellent fall
growth Of the plants and finding smut
in his field when harvesting the crop,
the entire grain crop being lessened in
value by the presence of but a small
proportion Of smut. The only way to
prevent the evil is to hold al seed un-
der suspicion and treat for smut before
planting.
THE CAUSES or SMUT.
Smut is well known. to all farmers,
being really an enemy which has been
met for many years, but it is only
within the past ten years that it has
heen well understood, so far as its ORR
gin each year is concerned. Smuts are
caused by minute parasitic fungi, the
spores or seedlike bodies OF which form
ile black dusky mass which takes the
place of the Kernels Of the entire head
The spores being very minute are easily
blown about, often adhering TO the kerr
mel before it is planted. When such
kernels sprout tie spores also germin-
ate and send delicate threads into the
young seedlings. These threads follow
the growth Of the plant, fill the heads
as seOn as formed, and there develop
mass Of spores instead of kernels. As
the spores are 50 light and easily car
ried by the wind, they get on the unin-
juTed wheat while in the field or when
being harvested, remaining thereon un-
I'll carried to the field with the seed,
there to continue until the time arrives
when the conditions are favorable for
propagation. It is important, ther~-
fore, that all farmers in a neighborhood
cooperate to destroy the smuts before
planting in the fall.
REMEDIES APPLIED.
The kind known as ''stinking" smut
can be prevented by treating the seed
with a solution made by dissolving a
pound OF corrosive sublimate in 80 gal
Ions Of water and sprinkling the seed
ION the barn fioor), thoroughly, every
grain being we.ted. The solution is
poisonous, and should be used care
fully. If the seed is soaked twelve
hours in a solution OF one pound of sui
phate Of copper (bluestone) in 24 gall
Ions Of water, and then immersed five
minutes in limewater, the spores will
be destroyed. The formalin treatment,
which is To soak the seed for two hours
in solution Of one pound of formalin
TO 50 gallons Of water, is also q remedy.
The strong formalin is also poisonous,
and should be used with care. Both
loose smuts and sinking smuts are de
stroyed by treating the seed to INNER
sion for five minutes in water heated TO
IS2 degrees. Another treatment for
loose smut is TO soak the seed "A hours
in a solution OF u pounds of potassium
sulphide to > gallons Of water. 1t is
claimed that soaking the seed for two
hours in solution of eight pounds Of
potassium sulphide TO p gallons of wa
ter is as efieetual as longer immer5ion
in the weaker solution If the poison
Gus corrosive sublimate and formalin
are objected TO use the sulphate of cop
per and potassium sulphide solutions.
20 dry the grain spread it on clean
floor or on canvas sheets in the sun
and stir occasionally until dry. 1t
should be the rule for all dealers in
seeds to treat the wheat before supply
ing customers.
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