Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-05-03

worst enemy OF he farmers III Jne
northwest, and the best methods
a0Ajcable Tor its destruction
should be energetically and prompt
~ adopted.
Throughout the northwest losses
cue to gram smut amounting to
from ten to forty per ent have
been recorded and whatever agri-
cultural boards ana experiment
stations and individual farmers
have attempted to combat the dis
ease, excellent results have been
obtained.
Formaldehyde is a gas dissolved
in water, which, if full strength,
should contain 40 per cent of the
gas. Formaldehyde is easily dis
solved in water. 1t has a penetrat-
ing and Irritating odor, which, how
ever, practically disappears in the
diluted form in which it is uau-
ally employed. The formaldehyde
solution is not poisonous to farm
animals and will not injure sacks,
clothing or implements coming in
contact with it.
The oat, wheat, barley, or other
seed to be treated is handled as
follows; is ounces or one pint of
10 per cent formaldehyde is thor
oughly mixed in a tank or barrel
containing 45 gallons of water Into
+Eic col,,ffon ortnpx- soo1v oopfair
iae the seed is dipped. 1t should
be completely submerged for ten
OF fifteen minutes. The grain is
then emptied on the floor or on
canvas to dry, and should be turneC
over at intervals to hasten drying.
The grain will then give no trou-
bic in running through the drill.
It is well, however, to treat the
seed grain half a day to one day
before sowing in order to give it
sufficient time to dry.
Another method of using formal |
dehyde consists in spreading the !
seed grain on the granary floor
and spraying the solution in the
proportion mentioned above over
the seed with a common sprinkf-
ing can, or preferably, with small
force pump which will throw
fine misty spray. While the seed
is being sprayed it should be
shovled over and over until all the
seed is thoroughly moistened. After
the grain has been sprayed it is
good plan to cover it with sacks or
blankets in order to prevent too
rapid evaporation of the formalde-
hyde. After a few hours the sacks
may be removed and the seed al
lowed to dry before seeding. Flax
seed is treated in this manner for
the prevention of wilt.
The cost of treatment is not ex-
pensive. A pint Of formaldehyde
in IS gallons of water will treat :
from 10 to 30 bushels of seed grain,
and considering that the pint of S
forbaldehyde costs only thirty-five
T. fifty cents, the expense is trifl-
ing when the great benefit derived
therefrom is taken into account.
The value of treating seed has
passed the experimental stage and
the treatment for smut has two
fold value. It not only increases
the sielG, but improves the quality
of the grain. Some authorities
ulalm that treating the seed facili- l
tafes sprouting, but his is dis 4
puted. A Utah bulletin claims |
iha! treating the seed for smut de- j
oroases the terminating power of ]
the seed to a small extent. 1t is
generally considered better to sow I
a little heavier of treated seed :
than otherwise It is stated In /
report that several !
of dollars are saved annu- 7
~, whore oat. wheat and barley :
smut is treated with formaldehyde h
and no doubt it is quesuon OF /
but a short time when this saving {
will be increased through general i
OF the treatment. 8
ComnIaints have come from farm {
ers that the treatment was not sue I
cessful with them. The cause OF I
this may be that the formaldehyde $
was not as represented or the So I
hutton not proprelv made. Farm y
ers should be sure that only 40 Z
per cent formaldehyde is used and h
for use should be fol- $
lowed to the letter. Success Will i
then be sure.
The potato failure of 1914 makes
Il necessary that special attention
he given to seed potatoes for this
years crop. The formaldehyde
treatment is preventive of the
=, to,;, u,biph ;c the disease | c