The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-15
NEMTTCT DR.. A. E. BUCHANAN
UIN11U1 1888 When Building.
O LOOSE SMUT OF WHEAT.
Information as to the Best Method of
Preventive Treatment.

The appended bulletin has been issued by
Prof. William Stuart, assistant botanist of
the agriculf lral experiment station at Pur-
due University:
THE season just passed seems to have
been unusually favorable to the develop
ment of fungouS diseases This is especially
true with reference to the loose smut of
wheat and oats. Owing to this fact, numer-
Gus inquiries have come to the station in re-
gard to some method for its prevention.
AT preeent,it is well known that the loose
smut of wheat and other cereals is caused
by a minute fungus, which enters the plant
while, very young and lives inside it's It's
sues developing its fruit or spores in the
head of the growing wheat, this deveiop-
ment taking place at the expense of the
wheat kernels themselves. The spores as
they ripen are carried by currents of air to
adjoining plants. thus injecting the seed for
the coming year, or they are washed off by
rains into the soil, where they may also in
feet the next seasons crop. In this connec-
ton it is we'll to observe the following pre-
cauttonarg measures, which will mitigate
much of the loss: First, that the seed shall
be taken from wheat fields free from smut.
Second, sow on soil not previously infected
Treatment of seed Since the plants are
infected by this fungus in the very early
stages of their growth, it is evident that no
treatment of the plants in the field will pre-
vent the development of the smut, hence
nary hot water treatment, as recommended
for the sinking smut of wheat and the
loose smut of oats has not proved an eff
hence II has not been employed by the sta
ton to any extent. A recent bulletin GU. S.
Department of Agriculture, Farmers Bull
letin No 75), by Swingle, however, pre-
scribeS a method of hot water treatment
for the loose smut of wheat which, it is
claimed, has proved efficient This method
which Is to receive thorough trial at the
station this coming season, is as follows:
The seed, Enclosed in coarse guIIny sacks or
open baskets, is soaked four hours in cold
water. 1t is then removed and allowed to
stand in the wet sacks about four hours.
The inclosed seed is then dipped in a vessel
containing water at 10 20 120 degrees Fair,
and after a moment it is lifted, allowed to
drain a little and then dipped again. This
operation should be repeated several times.
The object of this preparatory treatment is
to bring each seed in contact with the warm
water. and the whole time consumed should
not exceed a minute. The sacks of seed
should then be plunged in water at 132 de-
grees Fair. for five minutes, care being
exercised In maintaining this temperature
within degree or two throughout the OPP
Grafton, as well as to keep the seed con-
stantly stirred. To maintain the temporal
ture 1t Is necessary to have a third vessel
containing boiling water, by the addition of
which to vessel No a uniform temporal
ttire may be maintained. The thermometer
used should be an accurate one.
.'It has been found that quite percent
age of the seed is killed by this treatment
hence it is recommended that one-half more
seed be used per acre in planting.