The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-03-03
Seed Wheat Famine.

seed wheat problem. The statement is
made that Minnesota is on the verge of
a seed wheat famine because of the
ravages of rust last season. The
damage done by the rust was so gen.
eral that it is only occasionally that
we hear of locality that has been
fortunate enough to produce good, sound
grain. As a result, many farmers are
at a loss to know what to do for seed
wheat for their spring sowing. The ex-
pertinent station is receiving many in
quiries for information regarding the
probable prospects and outcome if dam
aged seed is used and the advisability
of getting change of seed.
There is probably enough good seed
wheat in the state to SOW the six mil
lion and half acres annually devoted
to this crop, but this supply is not prop
erly and widely distributed, and the
people generally do not know of the
whereabouts of the supply. Hence, in
certain cases, the most will have to be
made from what is at hand and avail
able. Strenuous efforts are now being
I" made to get the farmers in touch with
the best seed and methods of securing
it. The majority of wheat now in the
hands of the farmers, and from which
this seed wheat must come, will grade
only number two or less. The weight
per bushel of this wheat is much below
the standard (sixty pounds per bush
err, but there is good wheat in this
i quantity of light weight wheat, which,
u if graded out would weigh UP nearly or
quite to the standard, and, when separ
ated, would grade sufficiently high to
warrant its use for seed.
Briefly stated, there are five ques-
tions which confront the farmer on the
seed wheat problem. These are: viii
z the rusted wheat, if planted infect the
succeeding crop? The prevailing idea be-
ing that rust, like smut, is carried from
q one crop to another by using infected
seed. But such is not the case. Smut
and rust are as different as sheep and
goats. Methods of prevailing smut have
been found, but as yet no method has
- been found for the, prevention of rust.
1t flourishes only under the most favor
able conditions of moisture and sun
shine. If these conditions are not ia
vorable it is a bad season for rust.
Rust comes from the outside and under
these favorable conditions spreads rap
idly from plant to plant and from field
to field. 1t requires only a short time
in which to mature the spores 1.-THE
"seeds') of the rust plant. As above
& stated, no preventive treatment has yet
d been found, but certain precautions,
u such as rotation of crops and burning
y all stubble and other rubbish will tend
to abate the wide spread of the spores.
Second. Will poor grade wheat yield
well and withstand the unfavorable
conditions of soil, climate and disease
Word has frequently gone out from
authority that was supposed to be
good, that the shrunken kernels ger
minated as well, the resulting plants
looked strong, healthy and just as
good as the plants from good seed, and
that it was the intention to use the
8, poor, shrunken, rusted wheat for plant
ing. The findings and conclusions of
the experiment station are somewhat
different. Poor grade, shriveled and
shrunken grain should not be used for
a seed. The vitality Of the seed is low
2. and weak plant is sure to result from
2 such seed. Oftentimes the termination
!, in this kind of seed, is good, but the
. plants are slender, narrow and frail.
A good crop could as well be expected
from such wheat as big flow of milk
from a half-starved cow.
A seed consists essentially of two
~ parts, the embryo or germ and the en-
dosperm or stored up plant feed. Ma
ture has provided that there be enough
70 food stored in fully matured seed to
j give the little plantlet good start in
O life. In other words, enough to fur
d nish the food for the little plant until
it is "weaned" and able to draw its liv-
- ing from the soil. Let us suppose that
? the required amount of stored-up food
u in a grain of wheat be represented by
100 and that this amount is capable of
growing plant that is capable of yield
ing a crop of grain, the value of which
is 100, and such crop has vigor
and power, to resist adverse conditions,
which may be represented by 100. If
for any reason, the seed receives only so
per cent of the required amount of
plant food and becomes shrunken and
of light weight, it will be unable to
il give the plant sufficient start and vital
J ity to produce crop of 100 value. On
the other hand, because of the weaker
vitality the plant is not able to with
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