The Minneapolis journal., 1905-08-24
WILL. STUDY RUST
In MANY STATES
PROF. FREEMAN, THE GOVERN
MENT's WHEAT RUST DOCTOR.

PROF. FREEMAN, THE GOVERN
MENT's WHEAT RUST DOCTOR.
University of Minnesota, Professor,
Just Appointed to Position in De-
partment of Agriculture, Will Seek
to Solve Problem That Has Bafhed
other Scientists. r
Professor E. M. Freeman Of the Uni
versity of Minnesota, who has been
employed by the United States bureau
Of plant INDUSTRY to study rusts of the
cereal crops and grasses, has already
won reputation for Investigations Of
this kind, both in Minnesota and in
Oxford, England, where he did gradu-
investigated by several scientists,
among them Professor Carleton Of thu,
department of agriculture; DR.. Arthur
of the Indiana experiment station and
Professor Bolley Of the agricultural
college Of North Dakota, but has not
yet been mastered. -
Rust is a subtle disease, which does
not make much showing for a long
period Of time. Then it rapidly de-,
or the oat plant, as consumption often
quickly destroys the man or the cow.
While consumption is. called the
properly be called the "yellow. and
black plague.'' During earlier stages
of it's growth its yellow spores give a
distinctive color to the leaves, and
even the stems Of the growing or ripen-
ing: grain. In its later stages it pro.
! h oh In, no
this disease caused many millions OF
dollars loss in western Minnesota and
in the eastern parts of the Dakotas.
This attracted great attention to the
subject, just as would terrible scourge
of tuberculosis destroying the strength
and lives of many people or cattle IN
a similarly large area. Ordinarily, bow:
ever, ~ this disease works In a more
quiet way and without attracting pun.s
due attention.. causes many millions of
dollars. loss to American farmers an
nually. The rusts probably cause an
average loss of So an acre one year
with another in Minnesota and the
Eeastern part of the ,Dakotas to beth
the wheat and the oat crop. In other
words, if there were no rust in these
| states, the crops would yield several
bushels more per acre. The scientists
who have studied this disease have so
culties The only method Of preven:
tion known at present lies in the in:
PRODUCTION and breeding of varieties re-
sistant to rust. A few varieties now
known to be almost completely rust
proof have been introduced from for:
eign countries by the department of
agriculture. It is believed that some
of the best new varieties originated
by the Minnesota experiment. station
0ry yinEI Ic 0Yor
values per acre thru a long series OF
years, largely because of their resist
ance to these dread diseases there
are more than one species of the mi
mute plants which cause this disease.
+ How Does Rust Propagate.
i Besides cooperating with the various
breeders Of grain and the state and
government experiment stations, Pro.
, study.of the life history of this disease
and will study the relations of the. tis
sues Of the Ghost plants'' to the dis.
/ ease. The scientists who have worked
on these little pests have not as yet
; learned how they propagate in the
early spring, except that in case of the
orange leaf rust-whieh really causes
the least damage. It is known that the
summer spores can live over winter and
may start this rust the following sea
Esor; but it is not known how the black
!! spores Of the stem rust, which live over
winter, infect the growing plants ano
produce the thread-like growth in the
, tissue 0f the most plant, which produces
the yellow spores that rapidly multiply
} and spread the diseases. Professor Bol
| f. lev surmises that these yellow spores OF
) winter further to the southwark aht
! that being very light they may be born.
northward by the spring winds ant
thus infect the spring wheat crop. Tht
operations of these little pests are no
. confined to American fields. Australi:
at one time had a commission to study
them The rusts are Injurious, in Eu
rope. tho there they have not been 81
!, harmful as in America.
MrlFreeman will be located in Wash
ington, but will travel thru the infested
regions as necessity requires. The de
partment of agriculture is determine!
: that the Investigations Of these disease
i which have been carried on SO far onl,
i in an interrupted way, shall now b
: prosecuted consecutiyely: with the hop
\ that ways may be found Of avoiding s
: much loss as now occurs. The larg
/. number Of varieties Of wheat, oats an
: barley collected from various countrie
e by the department. and by the expert
n ment stations Of Minnesota, North Ds
) kota, South Dakota, Nebraska. Kansas
g Iowa and other states, and the larg
8 number of new selected and hybrid va
J. rieties being produced by these institu
: tions, will furnish wide range Of ma
t terial with which Mr.. Freeman ca
9 work. a s 2
8 The breeders Of wheat. oats and bal
{, ley will look to Professor Freeman to il
struct them how to identify the sevel
b al species of rust, SO that in their breed
d ing work they can more accurately 81
+ lect the particular strains or varietie
9 that will resist rust. 1g gs. !.
t The Fishing Season.
d The best fishing lakes in the state q
h Minnesota are located on the line of tn
Northern Pacific Ry They are fro1
(. twenty to two hundred miles from til
d city, and are made easily accessible b
i frequent train service. Week end an
D summer excursion rates are now in e1
j, feet. Call at City Ticket Office, No. j
$ Nicollet House Block, for further ii
formation.