The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-09-23
A STATE BULLETIN
ON RUST QUESTION
Prepared by an Expert After
Careful Study of the De-
structive Epidemic.
THE CAUSE AND EFFECT
Not Believed Rust Will Be Destructive
Next Year to Wheat, Unless
u Weather Conditions Are
Favorable.

Sioux Falls, S. D., Sept 17.-An i'm
portant bulletin on wheat rust and its
causes has just been issued by Pro-
fessor w. A. Wheeler, botanist of the
4 South Dakota experiment station. con-
nected with the state agricultural col
iege at Bookings. AS rust this sea-
son caused damage amounting 10 NH
lions of dollars to the wheat crop OF
South Dakota, the bulletin will be of
special interest at this time. The bull
letin is the result of n careful investi-
cation by one of the leading experts OF
the country, and is in part:
y 1.-THE year 1904 has been an especial
ly disastrous one for the wheat crop
of South Dakota and neighboring
states. The season, which opened very
favorably for the growth of wheat and
other small grains, promising fair re-
turns, ended disastrously through the
ravages Of rust.
"The inquiries which have come to
the experiment station concerning the
many phases Of the rust problem show
this to be true. The newspapers and
agricultural papers have published va
ried accounts of the rust, some of
which have been wholly or in part COR
rect while others have been absolutely
false. Many facts in regard to the life
history Of rusts in general are well
known tc scientists. Many others are.
however, doubtfully understood, and
ahese problems still remain to be
solved.
. trusts, smuts, mildews and, in fact,
nearly all plant diseases. are caused
by small parasitic plants living de-
pendent upon other plants for their
existence. The powdery mildews per-
haps exhibit this dependence Of one
plant upon another more clearly than
rusts or SHUTS.
.'All species or kinds of rusts are bet
ter known upon the wheat plant than
are the other host plants. and many
4 facts still remain to be discovered as
to the relations between the various
kinds OF wheat rust and their Other
hosts.
1.-THE black stem rust of wheat may
be discovered early in the season upor
the stems of the wheat and exhibits
itself as red lines upon the surface OF
the wheat plant. These red lines are
formed by the breaking of the covering
OF the leaf or stem and the forcing out
of red spores or reproductive bodies OF
the rust plant, which is living within
the wheat plant. This stage is com.
monty called the red rust. The RED
rust spores, or summer spores, may DC
scattered by the wind from one wheat
plant to another, or to thousands OF
other wheat plants They lodge upor
y the leaves and stems of the wheat, ant
under favorable conditions of heat anc
moisture they terminate there, form,
+ ing new threads which enter the plan,
through small pores in the surface OF
the leaf and stem. AS soon as the
threads have gained an entrance to the
new plant they grow very rapidly, tax
4 ing up nourishment from the wheat
plant and in q short time they are able
to project new red rust, or summer
spores, through the surface of the plant
In which they grow.
'These red rust spores may then II
turn be blown to other wheat plants
y and SO on through the summer season
! From these same threads growing with
in the wheat plant are produced late II
the season., or as the wheat is beginning
to ripen, masses OF black spores. The
black spores. or winter spores, arise
from the Sits in the surface of the
leaf or stem from which the red rus
spores arose. or they may arise from
new Sits In the surface Of the plant
y The black spores do not blow about ~
do the red rust spores. as they arr
fastened firmly to the threads of rus
These black or winter spores do not il
any way that is known infect othe
, wheat plants. They have been known
h however. to live through the winte
and bring about Infection the nex
year on Burberry bushes. They do no
infect Barberry husht,ccs directly, bu
gernainate .@@sron the old wheat stem
Were they are formed. producing sew
4eraI small spores, which may be blow
Il to the leaves OF the Burberry bushes
thereby bringing about Infection muci
the same as the red rust spores brine
about infection upon the wheat plant.
Where winter wheat is grown Il
warmer climates the threads of TIL
rust inSthe leaves or stem of the whea
plant live through the winter and pro
!duce red rust spores the following sea
& SON. In cold or temperate climates eX
perimenters hs-e been unable as get t,
demonstrate this. From a careful stud.
1 or the necessary facts In the life his
tory Of wheat rust, several points ma.
be Quoted. The condition of TIN
weather for several weeks following tn
n first Infection Of the wheat is one OF TIL
most imp ortant factors in causing
very extensive distribution or epidemi
Of the rust. There are very few If an,
seasons In which no rust can be foun
upon the wheat.
Warm, moist weather, with heaY
dews and fogs. Is favorable to the ger
inination Of the red rust spores. Sigh
breezes are, ~ Of course, necessary 70
the distribution of the red rust spore.
In South Dakota 1t is very seldom tina
there Is not sufficient wind to distribut
the spores far and wide. Dry wind
coming at the right time and continr
IS ing for several days usually check TIL
distribution and spread of the rust.
Professor Bolley, of the North Dakot
s station, considers that poor drainage (
the soil is also one of the importar
factors In favoring the development {
rust Excessive applications of nitrt
genous fertilizers to the soil. or an!
4 thing which favors the production of
b succulent growth of 4 the wheat plal
tends to make 1t more susceptible ,
attacks OF rust.
81 Preyentatfves ana RENE dies for whe;
rust are hard to find, because of I'll
"a fact that the rust cannot be east
reached for treatment III any Of /
stages. The appli of any flung
eide. such as copper sulphate or fo
81 naaline to the seed grain Is absolute
effective. as shown by the fact tn,
the seed grain does not harbor inAar
way the spores or threads OF the ru
plant. The burning Of badly infecte
stray may or may not be desirable
proven ting the spread of the dlseas
If any alternate host. whether Ba
berry or other plant, should be found
+ he the prime agent In compile citing I'll
life history of the disease, the burnir
8 OF straw over injected areas and I'll
destruct ton of the other hosts will! |
nd visable The selection OF rust-prot
or rust-resistant varieties OF wheat
ler small grains appears to be ii
most promising field of work III dealin
u I =. y, e, =. =. 81. Y. 80 ~ =. . ~ .sIa