The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1911-10-06
FIGHT AGAINST
smut IS BEGUN
COLLEGE men And FARMERS unite
EFFORTS TO WIPE OUT SERI.
Gus PROBLEM.

Farmers from all the wheat grow
ing districts of Washington, Oregon
and Idaho were in Pullman last
Thursday and Friday attending the
anti-smut convention called by Pres
ident R. c. McCrOskey of Garfield
The convention was held in the old
chapel of the State college.
K. 9. McCrOskey delivered the
welcoming address in which he out
lined the purpose of calling the
wheat growers together He recon-
mended that the state legislature be
memOralized to enact laws protect
ing the purity of chemicals used to
prevent smut; that a census be TAX
en- of those who had been uniformly
successful in preventing smut that
II might be known who succeeds,
and then have the results published
James S. Klemgard, the farmer
banker of Pullman and one of the
successful pioneer wheat growers of
the Palouse country, spoke on The
Prevalence of Smut" He told of the
general prevalence of smut through
out the wheat growing sections of
the Northwest and estimated the
loss from this cause at $3.50 per
acre for the entire wheat growing
section. He told how smut has
steadily, but rapidly increased dur
ing the past 10 years, and said that
many PalOuSe farmers are now con-
sidering the advisability of growing
barley instead of wheat as a fall
crop simply to get rid of smut. He
declared that the smut problem is
one Of the most serious confronting
the wheat industry of the Northwest
and called upon all farmers to unite
and try to stamp out this pest.
A committee of experimentation
was appointed to work out this prob
lem before the next convention and
to make a report at that time. Pro-
fessor r. w. Thatcher, director of
the experiment station, was made
chairman of this committee, the 9TH
er members being R. G. McCrOskey
of Garfield and James S. Klemgard
of Pullman. This committee will
begin work at once on experimental
tiOns with remedies as preventatives
of smut and will gather and compile
all Of the data possible to be pre-
sented TO the wheat convention.
A resolution which met with
hearty support called upon the state
superintendent and county superin-
tendents in all graingrOWing cOun-
ties to aid through the public schools
the campaign against smut. The
committee took the stand that when
the state is paying millions of dol
lars to maintain the public schools
the latter should assist in solving
this great problem of the grain
growing districts.
Professor r. w. Thatcher an
nounced that the state college would
begin work at once on the investiga-
tion of smut and that DR.. Humphrey
of the staff will be given charge of
the work and will devote his entire
time to seeking a solution of the
problem He asked the cooperation
of the farmers and called for vOlun-
teers to work under Dr.. Humphreys S
direction in this campaign. More
than a dozen farmers from various
parts of the Inland Empire ,vOlun-
teered to take an active part in the
campaign and will keep accurate de-
tailed records of the work done and
return them to the committee, to be
submitted to the next convention.
President Bryan gave an interest
ing talk on the subject, although he
announced at the start that he is not
an expert, but has had many years
experience in fighting smut, both as
a farmer and as head of the State
College experiment station. He de-
clared that the scientific man and the
practical man must combine to fight
the pest and use their united efforts
to stamp it out. This problem is ca
pable of solution and will be solved
by the combined efforts of the prac-
tical man. VINO is the farmer, and the
scientific man, who is the college
man, for both must work together to
bring about this solution"
1t was voted to merge the anti
smut convention with the annual
wheat convention to be held in Pull
man in December, when larger at
tendance is expected. This being
the busy season of the year for ware
house men, exporters and mlllers,
few were present. At the December
convention more comprehensive
program will be arranged.