American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-09-21
Treatment for Prevention of Smut.


has been observed in the crop just
harvested. The infection has run
from none in some fields to as great
as 25 per cent in others. This means
that instead of harvesting 100 per
crop was secured. This loss could
and should have been prevented.
AS every farmer knows the smut
is a parasite which terminates at
the same time as the grain and lives
within and robs the plant of it's nu-
triton. 1t natures into a black mass
of powder where the kernel of grain
ought to be. These masses are sur
canded by a rather thick covering
that isn't readily broken in the field
bron ~threshing however many of
them are crushed and the smut-dust
or spores are scattered through the
entire crop. Thus the seed for en-
suing crop is infected with the same
disease that caused a decreased
Yield this year. Not on is this par
lioular lot of grain infected, but the
threshing machine passing on to a
field prefectly free from smut will
TO a small degree at least this pure
convey enough of the spores TO infec
grain.
1t becomes imperative therefore
that every farmer treat his seed
and insure his crop against at least
v:ie source of loss.
This treatment is simple and COM
yaTdlively inexpensive. The first
sep is to remove all the unbroken
smut balls, as the treatment will not
effect these and if subsequently brOk
en- will infect the treated grain. Ordi
narily a good tanning mill will re-
move them. If not then they may
De separated by pouring the grain in
o a barrel or vat of cold water.
Stir thoroughly and the balls will
rise 20 the surface and can be skim
med off.
lhe two treatments generally in
use follow:
|. Formalin. Mix / pound fOrma-
lin TAO per cent solution formalde-
hyde) in 40 to As gallons water.
Use "a 50-gallon barrel if possible. 1t
is essential that the fOrmalin be of
full strength. Secure from a reliabl
druggist. Place .1-2 to ga bushel
of grain to be treated in a bag and
plunge the whole into the solution.
Agitate until you are sure that the
,ltire snrlace of every kernel is wet.
Drain the solution back into the bar
rel or better still into a second yes
sci and empty the grain onto a clean
floor or canvas. Cover with sack
Ing for 10 or IL hours. Remove
II covering and spread the grain to
dry. Shovel it over a few times to
hurry the drying process and pre-
any possibility of sprouting.
Grain may be treated several
months before seeding but in that
tase must be perfectly dry before
stored away. All sacks should be
treated in a solution of twice the
strength as the above solution be-
fore the treated grain is placed in
them.
2. Copper Sulphate blue stone).
Remove the smut balls as above.
The same materials are necessary as
for the above except that copper sui
phate is used instead of formalin.
Dissolve copper sulphate at the rate
of l pound to 4 gallons of water and
dip the seed as in the formalin
method. Do not however pile up
cover with sacking. Spread i'm
to dry. The same pre-
CAUTIONS are necessary to prevent the
grain coming in contact with smut
sacks anG bins.
Both the above methods may be
modified and the solutions used in
form of spray. In this case
grain on a floor OF canvas, pre-
treated in a strong solution.
Jiv thn cn1nfinn tho ON DC for tho
methods. Use an ordinary
rnrdon rnrin Elnr Chouol tho grain