Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1911-01-20


when mustard seed once gets INTO
ground. it is not easy to get rid of it.
iut worse 10y far than wild mus
tara is the disease known as flax
wilt. This disease has in sense
made the growing of flax impracti-
cable in localities where it has got
an extensive footllold. The growers
OF flaN in Montana. therefore, cannO
be too careful in the use Of measure,
that Will keep the virgin lands OF that
state free from the disease. When
once in the land it and will remain in
the same for many years, and as long
as the germs are in the land il will
not avail to SOW clean seed on the
same.
The direct cause is Il minute fungus
parasite which grows on the inside of
the plant and which may cause the
plants to wilt and die ut all stages of
growth. 1t may come directly from
seed produced by plants that were
affected or that have come in contact
with spores during the threshng of
the crop. or it may come from the
roots growing in previously infected
soil
The preventive measures include
the sowing Of clean seed on clean
land, and avoiding the growing of flax
for term of years on land that has
produced diseased crop. For how
many years such avoidance should be
observed is not definitely known, but
to be safe, it would seem wise not to
SOW flax again on such land for eight
to ten years.
The most important Of the remedial
measures is he treatment Of the seed
before sowing it, unless the grower
can feel absolutely assured that no
smut spores are present. The treat
ment is as follows: Spread the seed
upon tight floor but only TO the
depth Of Il few inches. Then throw
on it fine spray Of Il solution Of
fOrmaldehvde and water from a wat
ering can, or what is better a small
force pump. Shovel the grain over
Immediately and repeat the spraying
and shovelng until the surface OF all
the seed is evenly moist, but not SO
wet that seeds will adhere. Leave
the grain thus treated in Il pile for
several hours. Machines have been
introduced which are said to lessen
the labor of treatment. The solution
should contain | pound of formalde-
hyde Of standard strength. to 10 gal
Ions of water. Care should he taken
to get the formadehyde Of proper
strength, or the results may be dis
appointing.
Unless the person who sows the
seed is absolutely sure that it will
not bring wilt to the crop and through
il to the soil, he ought by all means
to treat the seed before sowing it.
If he finds that the crop thus sown
has no wilt in it, he can then save his
own seed thereafter without the fear
Of wilt, unless it should be brought
to him by threshing machine. There
!
farms on which flax may be grown,
and from which seed could be fur
nished, guaranteed free from wilt.
Such supply of seed should prove
a great boon to the state for many
years to come. 1t is a good plan to
look ont for seed IN time, that it may
he secured in good form and treated
should this be necessary.
The car barns of the Great Falls
Electric properties were totally de-
strOyed by fire last Friday Loss,
>2O,MW.
\ fire in the High Ore mine at Ana
r"nda has caused the loss of severa
lives and many thousands OF dollars.
However, the destructive blaze
was thought to he under control We'd
nesday.
Ed. Mcdonnell, II young man Of
LewistOWn, admitted his guilt when
charged with forging and passing a
check for SIS while he was in Billings
the first of the week
Judge f.. X. Cheadle made Il decid-
ed hit, to use street parlance,
with the students af the university ut
MissOula when he recently delivered
three addresses to them.
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Catholic services will be held every
fourth Sunday in this city by Father
phalan.
Great Northern Time Table.
No. 43.-FOr Great Falls, Spo-
kane, Seattle and all points
north, northwest and in Cam
HUa. w. ~ Il. III.
No. 44.-FOr Kansas City, st.
Louis, Chicago and eastern
and SOut n pa IT ern N,intS 1.ii H. M