Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1899-08-31
Srnuts of Small Grains.

SHUTS cause great loss each year
throughout the grain growing sections.
According to the Ohio experimental sta
tion, in recent bulletin, the loose and
sinking smuts of wheat alone cause an
annual loss of S4O0, 900 in Ohio. The
losses from the oat smut were equal
to or even greater than this. These
losses can be prevented if the seed is
properly treated For the loose smut
of wheat the hot water treatment is
recommended Soak the seed grain
for four hours in cold water, allowing
it to stand for four hours more in wet
sacks, then immerse for five minutes
in water held at temperature of 133
degrees Fahrenheit. Spread at once
on smut-free surface to dry and then
SOW. Some germs may be injured by
the treatment, SO the station recon.
mends that one-half more seed be
sown than is ordinarily recommended.
If the wheat is affected by sinking
smut or bunt, it is probably best to
immerse the grain in cold water. stir
ring thoroughly, then skim off the
smut balls which will rise to the sur
face. After this has been done either
of the following treatments may be
employed: If the hot water method is
chosen, immerse for ten minutes in a
vessel containing water heated to a
temperature of 130 degrees Fahren-
heit. Then cool quickly by thoroughly
stirring or immersing in cold water.
The water must bo heated to exactly
the temperature stated, and for this
purpose thermometer must always
be used Immersion longer than ten
minutes may iniure the grain. If the
hot water method does not seem prac-
ticable solution of copper sulphate
or bluestone will answer. Make the
solution by dissolving two pounds Of
snlphate to ten gallons of water. In
this immerse the wheat seed freed
from nut balls as already described,
and allow to remain for ten minutes.
Allow it to stand ten minutes longer
in the sack, then spread and dry with
unslacked lime, shoveling very fire.
quently. Or the above solution may
be sprinkled over the grain in heap,
using one gallon to every bushel of
grain. Sprinkle at intervals from five
10 leu IlluutcS botlI 81 tudb tuc WHOlo
will be thoroughly wetted, and at the
end of an hour shovel over and dry
with lime. Treatment with solution
of formalin in the same manner has
been found quite satisfactory. Use
one pound of formalin to about fifty
gallons of water and immerse the
wheat in this solution for about thirty
minutes or sprinkle as in the case Of
| sulphate.
For oats, the hot water treatment
in open vessels is very satisfactory.
Immerse the seed for ten minutes,
keeping the water at 1870 degrees or
for seven minutes keep it at 1876 de-
grees Fahrenheit. Empty out at once
upon clean floor and dry by stirring.
The formalin solution may also be
used, applying as in the case of wheat,
the only difference being that if the
seed is immersed, allow it TO remain
two hours instead of thirty minutes.
If the solution is sprinkled over the
heap, allow the heap to remain two or
more hours before drying. Consider
able success has been had by soaking
the oat seed twentyfour hours in
ihree-quarter per cent solution Of
potassium sulphide. This solution is
prepared by dissolving one and one
half pounds of sulphlde in twenty
five gallons of water American Agri.
culturist.