Gunnison news-champion., 1915-03-26

there wili h. . very large screaes cf
should he the greatest pains token -
have tbs seed Va proper condition " -
sure . perfect crop.
The unusually large smouut Of suut
N gran. especially IN wheat N ~
plains reeion daring the season of 1Sse,
hes caused very greet loss to erowsss.
To prevent the spsesd of tse dsseese,
cslls for vlGosous measures by the
farmers.
There sre two kinds Of smut eject
ing wheat. loose smut and shrinking
smat.
Ii requires both treatment end cui-
tursl methods TO prevent loose smut.
Both kinds Of smut are fungus DIS
eases. In each case the disease gets
into the plant At or soon after eermsnar
tion while the plant is young.
/ The spores of sinking smut are car
ried almost entirely by the seed, coa-
seaaently any treatment of the seed
which kills the spores will prevent the
appearance of the smut
/ The spores of loose smut of wheat are
also carried by the seed, but they may
also be in the soil, If wheat damaged by
loose smut occupied the land the pre-
vious year. Treatment of the seed will
kill the loose smut spores on the seed,
but will not kill the spores in the soil.
Consequently loose smut is liable to sp-
pear where wheat follows wheat. even
though the seed may be thoroughly
treated The only way to successfully
kill the spores of loose smut is to rotate
the crops on the land That is to say,
grow some crop other than wheat on
the land for at least one year
TREATMENT or SEED
There are a member of methods of
treating seed grain to prevent smut.
Several of these have considerable
merit. The cheapest, safest, most
easily applied and most uniformally sue
cessful is the formalin treatment
PREPARATION or FoRMALIN SOLUTION
!
of formalin, 40 per cent strength, at the
drug store. When everything is ready
for treating the seed, make up the treat
ing solution by carefully mixing the
formslin with water ut the rate of l6
ounces lone pound of formalin to 40
gallons of water. This would be one
ounce formalin to ~ gallons Of water.
TREATMENT or TINE SEED
The seed may be treated with the
prepared solution in one Of two ways
the sprinklinG method or the dipping
method. II the sprinkling method is to
be used. prepare . clesn place on the
floor or ground snd spread down large
canvas or muslin sheet. Sprinkle the
sheet thoroughly, using . garden sprink-
Ter. Nov place the grain to be treated
upon the sheet and sprinkle ii thor
oughly. When the surface is good and
moist, shovel the grain over o. concrete
is mixed, so ss to moisten oil of the
grain. Continue this sprinkling and
mixing until the grain is oil well mos-
tened. Now cover up the grain with
sacks or blankets and allow it to stand
for at least two hours. At the end of
this time uncover the grain and spread
IT out so that it may dry thoroughly.
The terminating power is liable to be
injured unless the grain is well dried
after treatment
The dipping method is performed by
putting the solution in barrel and then
dipping the grain held in a gunDy sack
/ into the solution allowing il TO rem in
10 minutes, taking it out and permitting
il to drain until the superfluous liquid
drains back into the barrel. After
draining, the grain is placed in a pile
and covered with sacks or blankets, in
the same manner as in the sprink lug
method, and allowed to stand two hours
after which it should be thoroughly
dried before planting.
One pound of formalin to forty gal
Ions Of water is sufficient to treat 2. 800
pounds of grain. Smaller amount Of
grain will require about two gallons Of
the solution to every 100 pounds u
Q grain