The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-10-01

when properly applied to the grain and
will not destroy the life OF the grain
TO any great extent. The application
OF this disinfectant or solution can be
made by immersing the grain or the
sprinkling and shoveling method. The
proper strength of the solution If the
formalin Is 40 per cent formaldehvde
Is l pound or pint of formalin or for
maldehyde to 40 gallons of water If
the immersion method Is used the grain
should be allowed to remain in the So
luton long enough so that every kernel
gets thoroughly wet and the smut balls
and other light material Is skinned off
The Washington State Experimental sta
ton recommend allowing the grain To
remain In the solution 80 minutes but
this seems rather long to the writer.
II would seem as though one half that
time would be long enough. If the
sprinkling method is used the grain.
after being thoroughly moistened and
every grain wet. should be allowed to
remain In a pile covered with sacks
or tarpaulin for some time 1t should
be left not less than 2 hours and maybe
LETT in that condition over night if the
grain was treated in the latter par
of the afternoon.
1t is well to remember that too strong
solution of either the blue vitriol or
formalin, or what amounts to the same
thing allowing the grain to remain too
long in the solution, will injure the
life of the grain. This Is particularly
true of grain threshed with our modern
threshing machinery and particularly so
If the grain is very dry as the outer
protective coating If the grain is crack
ed or more or less broken so that
greater absorption of the poisonous ma
terial takes place and therefore greater
injury to the life of the grain. Car.
should be taken to have the solutions
the proper strength and the treatment
carried through properly. All sacks
boxes, implements and everything with
which the grain may come in contact be
fore it reaches its seeded should be
thoroughly treated or disinfected or
the work of treating the grain will go
for naught
Argues for Pure Seed.
PtDre is no question in the mind of
the writer but what the smut problem Is
more difficult to solve in this region
than in some of the regions further
east where the climatic conditions are
more severe. Therefore 1t is ncssary
to be very careful in treating the seed
in every way. Procure seed as free
from smut as possible and thoroughly
clean 1t to remove all inferior grain
and all smut balls. These smut balls
are quite resistant to moisture and will
not absorb the disinfecting solution and
more or less of them will be broken up,
If they are allowed to remain in the
grain, and will reinfect the seed and
the work and expense of treating the
seed be lost as well as having a crop
of smutty grain. This only applies to
wheat as the oats smut it loose vari
ETY. and is not found in the form of
balls.
When 1t is not possible to remove all
the smut balls and other foul lightstuff
by tanning mills it is best to use the
immersion method in the open trough
or tank for treating the seed as then
the remaining foul material can be
skinned off while the grain is in the
solution.
1t should be understood that smut Is
caused by the entrance of the smut
plant into the growing tissue of the
young grain plant and 1t is necessary
for that smut plant to gain entrance
only while or where the plant tissue
Is young and tender If the smut spore
is not present in the ground and we
have treated and handled the seed
properly then we will in all probability
have no smut.
If the foregoing is true, IL the farm
er will follow system Of crop rotation,
including clover, and not grow the
same crop more than one year in sue
cession on the ground they will have
practically no trouble with smut is the