Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-09-23
Prepared by an Expert After
Careful Study Of the De-
structive Epidemic.
THE u AND EFFECT
Not Believed Rust VIII BE Destructive
Next Year to Wheat, Unless
Wsather Conditions Are
Favorable.

causes has just been issued by Pro-
fessor w. A. Wheeler, botanist of the
South Dakota experiment station, con-
nected with the state agricultural COLI
lege at Brookings. AS rust this sea-
son caused damage amounting 20 mil
lions Of dollars TO the wheat Q OF
South Dakota, the bulletin will be OF
special interest at this time. The bull
letin IS the result of a careful investf-
cation by one OF the leading experts OF
the country, and is in part:
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
fayorably 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
ried accounts Of the rust, some or
which have been wholly or in part COR
rect while others have been absolutely
false. Many facts in regard TO the life
history OF trusts in general are well
Known to scientists. Many others are
however, doubtfully understood, and
these problems still remain to be
solved.
aRusts, smuts, miIdews 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 smufs.
sAH species or kinds of rusts are bet
Ter known 1ipon the wheat plant than
are the other host plants. n many
facts still remain to be discovered as
to the relations between the various
kinds Of wheat rust and their other
hosts.
.sThe black stem rust of wheat may
be discovered early in the season upon
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 N the forcing U
of red spores or reproductive bodies or
the rust plant. which is living within
the wheat plant. This stage Is conn
monty called the red rust. The red
rust spores, or summer spores, may pc
scattered by the wind from one wheat
plant to another, or to thousands OF
ofhsr wheat plants. They lodge upon
the leaves and stems OF the wheat, and
under favorable conditions OF heat and
moisture they terminate there, form
ing new threads which enter the plant
through small pores in the surface of
the lear and stem. As soon as the
threads have gained an entrance TO the
new plant they grow very rapidly, TAX
ing up nourishment from the wheat
plant. and in a short time they are able
10 project new red rust. or SUMMER
spores. through the surface Of the plant
IN which they grow.
These red rust spores may then IN
turn lie blown to other wheat plants,
and SO on through the sunnfne season.
From these same threads growing with-
In the wheat plant are produced late ia
the season, or as the wheat is beginning
to rfpen, 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 rust
spores arose. or they MAJ arise from
new Sits in the surface of the plant
The black snores do not blow about rs
do the red rust spores. as they are
fastened firmly to the threads Of rust
IN the wheat plant by short stalks.
These black or winter spores do not IN
any way that is known infect otEer
wheat plants. They have been KNOWN.
owever 10 live through the winter
and bring about infection the next
year on Burberry bushes. They do net
infect Barberry bushes DIRECTLY but
Tgerminate uDon the old wheat stems
where they are formed. Producing sew
eral small spores. which ma be blown
10 the leaves OF the Burberry bushes,
thereby bringing about Infection much
the same as the red rust spores bring
about Infection upon the wheat plant
Where winter wheat is grown IN
warmer climates the threads OF the
rust In the leaves or stem OF the wheat
plant live through the winter n pro-
duce red rust spores the following sea-
SON. In cold or temperate climates ex-
n~erimenters ha-.~ been unable AS Vet &C
demonstrate this. From a careful study
Of the necessary facts IN the life his
tory OF wheat rust, several points ma
be deducted. The condition OF the
first infection of the wheat Is n OF ths
most important factors in causing =
very extensive distribution or epidemic
! OF the rust. There are very fewlif an!
seasons In which no rus can be found
upon the wheat.
WARN, moist weather. with heavy
dews and fogs, IS favorable to the ger
mination Of the red rust spores. Sigh
/ breezes are. or course, necessary fol
the distribution OF the red rust spores
In South Dakota 1t is very seldom tina
there is o SUFFICIENT wind TO distribute
( the spores far INK Wide. Dry winds
4 coming at the right time and continu
inR for several days usually check tn
/ distribution and spread OF the rust.
Professor Bolley, OF the North Dakot:
station. considers that poor drainage o
4 the soil Is also one OF the importan
factors in favoring the development o
rust. Excessive applications or nitro
genons fertilizers TO the soil or I'M
4 thing which favorS the production OF