The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1905-03-11
TREATMENT OF FIELD SEED.

the seed. The purpose of seed
treatment is to kill the spores of
disease which are on the seeds
without injuring the terminating
power of the seed. The treatment
which we recommend prevent dis
ease, hasten maturity and increase
the yield.
If less than the strength of the
solution recommended is used, the
disease producing spores will not be
destroyed. If a stronger solution
is used. the seed will be injured OF
killed. To make the solution, add
sixteen avoirdupois ounces of 40
per cen" formaldehyde to 40 or As
gallons of water.
Wheat should be dipped, sprink-
led and shovelcd, sprayed or run
througha dipping machine, indeed
in any way, SO that all of the grains
become damp OH the entire surface.
Avoid using too much solution.
Too much only softens and swells
the seed and Injuries it. All one
wishes is to kill the smut spores.
It takes about three-fourths gallon
Of solution per bushel of wheat.
In the grains of Oats, Barley and
Millet, the smut spores are lodged
inside the chaff scales. The treat
ment must be thorough enough SO
that the solution can soak between
the scales. Dipping is all right for
these grains, but it pays to shovel
the grain over several times to in
sure the even distribution Of the
liquid. If the sprinkling and SHOW
cling method is used, the grain
should be shoveled thoroughly and
be wet up once or twice. These
grains take about one and one-half
to two gallons Of solution a bushel.
To prevent wilt in fax, clean the
fax so thoroughly that there is
nothing left in it but plump yellow
seeds. The treatment connot kill
the fungus i'll the old straws, bits
Of chaff and in the black shriveled
seeds.
Apply the solution slowly and
evenly, with constant %shoveling to
prevent mating. A small force
pump with a finely perforated noz-
zle, set to throw a misty spray, does
the best work. One half gallon Of
the solution should be used per
bushel of flax. More care must be
used with fax than with any other
grains, but the work is fast and
easy. This treatment has now been
tried by many farmers and all re-
port success. Do not SOW on old,
deceased flax ground; rotate.
TREATMENT OF CORN, ETC.
Corn sprouts slowly in cold soil.
1t is very apt to decay because Of
the presence Of ordinary mould
spores OH the grains. Farmers will
find great improvement in germi-
nation if the corn is washed in the
same strength of solution that is
used for wheat or oats. We have
found that it gives fine results with
many other sorts of grass and gar
den seeds.
Soak the tubers one and one-half
hours in a solution made at the rate
Of one pound of formaldehyde to
thirty gallons Of water. Then cut
and plant as usual. Do not plant
potatoes after potatoes, for potato
diseases live a long time in the soil.
After treating any seed grain with
formaldehyde, it pays to allow the
grain to remain piled for a few
hours. The excess Of the solution
will be absorbed, and the gas acts
more effectively.
The grain will swell some. By
measuring before treatingand after
ward, one can decide how to set the
drill SO as to SOW the proper amount.
Wheat swells about one-fifth to one
sixth in bulk.--H. T.. BoLLEY, Bot
aniaf and Plant PathOrist of North