Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1915-07-22
EXPERT INCL|S LOOKS
AT GRAIN FIELDS
Finds Favorable Weather Has
Made Crop Improvement.


Grain Expert Inglis OF Chicago,
who has made an annual tour Of in
spection of the growing crops in
North Dakota for many years, was an
arrival In the city today and went out
to- visit q number of wheat fields in
this Vicinity to determine their con-
dition at the present time. Mr.. Ing
lis reports to the Chicago and Min
ueapolis boards Of trade have been
factors at times in helping to fix
prices for the future crops of spring
wheat.j He is regarded as one of the
best posted crop Experts in the coun-
try. His trip at,&bfs time is for an
examination of the fields in connec-
tion with the alleged reports Of black
rust.
The last week OF favorable wealth
er has about dissipated these reports,
although some little time ago a num-
ber of experts from the agricultural
college at Fargo, after an examina-
ton Of certain grain fields, concluded
there was incipient rust spores or
indications of development of this
plant disease, although no damage
could be found at that time from it.
They further stated the future dam
age depended wholly upon weather
conditions that were favorable to the
development of rust.
Facts About Rust.
The subject is interesting grain
men in the twin cities and Duluth, as
we'll as the growers of grain in the
Northwest, and the following regard
ing black rust has been prepared and
published by Duluth firm operat-
ing on the board of trade:
BLACK Cor stem) rust is confined
more or less closely to the stems and
sheath, and the area most susceptible
to it's development is the hard spring
wheat belt of Minnesota, North Da-
kota, and South Dakota.
"At irregular intervals of several
years wheat rust spidemics, more or
less general, occurred throughout the
country. That these depend to a
great extent on Chronological condi-
tions is quite generally believed. Pc
riods of excessive rainfall, followed
by warm, muggy days are supposed
to be favorable to their development,
though why this should be is not gen.
orally understood.
"At least three conditions must be
fulfilled before an epidemic can oc-
cur: Cd A sufficient number of rust
spores must be present on the grow
ing grain to give the fungus a start.
CD The humidity and temperature
conditions must be favorable for the
termination of these spores, and con-
sequent infection. CD The grain
must be in a receptive mood.
trusts like dust particles, may be
carried by air currents from regions
where they are plentiful to regions
where grain is in receptive mood.
Where soils are rich in nitrogen,
other conditions being equal, rust at
tacks are as a rule, most prevalent.
"The most critical period for at
tacks of black rust is during the
heading time, a period of about ten
days for any one locality. If for any
reason this period is delayed or
heightened, the number Of spores fall
ling on each plant is considerably in
creased, infections have a longer
time in which to develop, and the
danger of an epidemic is intensified.
whether or not these spores
cause infection after falling in the
grain, depends upon various condi-
tions. Sudden showers at this time
undoubtedly work of many Of the
spores before termination occurs,
while fairly humid conditions and
moderate temperatures are not only
favorable, but almost absolutely nec-
essary for infection.
Contrary to the general belief,
moderately cool and even subnormal
temperatures are more favorable for
spore termination and infections of
the grain than higher temperatures.
''In the epidemic of 1914 the av-
erage temperature during the critical
period was 3.12 degrees below nor
NAL in South Dakota, North Dakota
and Minnesota, and it is believed
that this unusually low temperature
was an important, II not the deter
mining factor for the rust epidemic
OF that year. Precipitation was