The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1911-01-19
FARMERS in THE. TREASURE.
STATE SHOULD SELECT PURE
SEED FLAX
NATURAL CONDITIONS FOR LARGE YIELD UNExcElIED ppr
vENTlvE MEASURES FOR POOR CR0p.pRoFrssoR
SHAW GIVES VALUABLE INFORMATION

The fax crop will probably rank
next to the winter wheat crop i'm
Montana for many years to come.
The natural conditions for growing
good crops of flax for the seed are not
excelled by those of any other state.
As the crop will be chiefly grown on
virgin lands for several years, it is
Of first Importance that the seeds of
noNious weeds and also of fungus
diseases Shall not be brought i'm with
the seed.
In the older grain growing states.
more noXiors weeds have been intro
duced i'm flax seed than in any other
way. Especially is this true of wild
separated frons flax by the tanning
as from most other kinds of gram.
1t is quite possible to detect the
presence of wild mustard seed bN en-
amining the flax seed. If mustard
seeds are found in the naN, it should
not be used for seed. II some stray
stalks of mustard should he found in
the flax they should be carefully
pulled out. as when mustard seed
once gets into ground, it is not easy
to get riI of it.
But worse by far than wild mus
tard is the disease known as flax wilt.
This disease has in a sense made the
growing Of tiax inpracticable in To-
calities where it has got all extensive
foothold. The growers OF flax IN
Montana, therefore, cannot be too
careful in the use Of measures that
will keep the virgin lands OF that
state free from the disease. When
once in the land it may and will re-
main in the same for many years,
and as long rs the germs are in the
land it 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 thleshing of
the crop OF it may come from the
soil.
The preventive measures incl,lu e
the sowing OF clean seed OH clean
land, and avoiding the growing Of
flax for a 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 Oh such
land for eight to ten years.
The most important OF the remedial
measures is the treatment Of the seed
before sowing it, unless the grower
can feel absolutely assured that no
smut spores are present. The treat
ment is rs follows: Spread the seed
npon tight floor but only to the
depth Of u few inches. Then throw
Oh it n fine solution Of formaldehyde
and water from u watering can, or
what is better II small force pump.
Shovel the grain over Immediately
and repeat the spraying and shovel
ing until the surface OF Il II the seed is
evenly moist, but not so wet the seeds
will adhere. Leave the grain thus
treated in a pile for several hours.
| Machines have been introduced which
are said to lessen the labor of treat
ment. The solution should contain
pound of formaldehyde OF standard
strength. to 40 gallons of water.
Care should be taken to get the for
maldehyde OF proper strength, or the
results may be disappointing.
Unless the person who SONS the
seed is absolutely sure that it will
not bring wilt 20 the cropalldthraugh
it to the soil, he ought by all means
to treat the seed before sowing it. I'll
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 i threshing machine. There
iA room in Montana for several seed