The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-10-29

t-' ~. IVuNNs molody6js
even ON soils Of high nitrogen fertility,
when these parasites are present, and
therefore that deterioration in crop
Yields lis not alone to be explained upon
the basis of lost nitrogen, must await
publication in monthly bulletln or re-
PORT. need not say more at this time
than to affirm:
lN That continuous wheat cropping
has in my belief been chiefly instrumen-
tai in the introduction of wheat para
siteb into the soil and into the seed, and
that these parasites are carried in var
ious ways from field to field and espe
'cially are transmitted from crop to crop
by way of the seed.
(2) That through the practice of con-
I'tinuous wheating. soils in many cases
have become infected with from one to
three or four definite parasitic fungi
which attack after the same manner as
the fay wilt fungi attack and destroy
the fax crop on old fax lands, and
therefore such wheat lands may be said
ito be wheat sick ia exactly the same
sense that old fax lands have been
termed flax sick.
(3) We have found that various types
Eof fertilizers and chemical substances
applied to the soil and various methods
of treating the soil, have marked ef-
Eject upon the type of injury that these
fungi are able to accomplish. For ex-
ample, by special treatments of such old
wheat sick lands ne have been able to
I'heighten the destructive effects of the di-
seases upon the crop. In certain other
leases we have been able to greatly mod
ify or improve the character of the seed
land straw produced.
l4] The diseases amder consideration
may attack the crop directly by way of
seed, by way of the sadl.or through wind
blown spores. ~
'@) The destruction of the crop SO far
as the reducing of plump seeds is con-
cerned, seems to be qsite closely proper
tionate to the speed OF maturity and to
hardness of the straw: that is to say, q
fstfd harsh straw suffecs less than soft
suc3llent one.
(8 While there is ss1acient fertility
:available in our Red river soils to pro-
dnce AN abundant growth of straw, the
Equality of the straw pcodnostl is often of
such mature that when attacked by the
lWasious>soil and seed iafestiQg fungi it is
unable do resist. The reaultiis that the
lsgrain fiile to I'll. In many cases the
young grains are cut Of faom the moth
(er plant by the action Of iinterveninR
dungi before even the milk stage is
reached With the result tiaat ALL Of the
grains Of head or most Of them are
shzivelled The action of the dungi is
gaeatly heiehtened by hot. moist weath.
er and poor drainage. The Aupgi often
attack the gaain internally and usually
fruit upon the straw giving It . spotted
appearance Stimulating minate 1uat, e.
nally giving a. ashy or gray.ah appear
ance to the upper portions.
As Jet am anable to propose as daft.
mite nsthods OF treatment Of vheat seed
and wheat soils - I have done in the
case of 1ax seed and Aax-sick aaala, but
s0r experimental eesults are Of zach di.
ract natuEe as to warrant the bef6af that
saAitary methods Of soil culture and Of
saad treatment similar to those advised
Tor the eliaination OF fax wilt fungi
frea seed and from soil will work s.an-
dess when applied to seed wheat nod to
the aOcalled worn out wheat soils: aad
viii, Itelieve % much 10 bring futsse
wheat crops up to the old time stsndasd
OF fsti6 bsight straw aud plnmp grain. |
There must be consisteat crop rota- |
tion, plana.d With . view Of ellminatia9I |
these sccdnnlatsd fungi fron the soil, |
and when tsstilissrs sse addsd il must !
b done With IN understanding OF the
crop. For example, : soil which con. |
tains IN excess Of nitrogen @ against |
phosphates, potash and other miueral
elements, viii psodacs Z sleVly ripeaink, |
soft stsawed grain which falls Al sasy |
pssy = such fungi = srs now known Is |
attsek whsat.
Pssvtous e whsat cuatnss, thesslass.
shosA - saah q adjasl aspt sef seops |
- tsfa sfassaIs that ~ vlsst - 1hishl