Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1915-10-21

Wheat Is preyed upon by a number
of parasitic fungi, three OF which are
classed as smuts. Two of these smuts
are common pests in the wheat fields
OF North America; the other, com.
monty known as flag smut, Is thus
far unknown to this continent.
though il is fairly common in Aus
tralia and certain other parts OF the
world, where wheat culture has been
in progress for centuries, says the
Department Of Agriculture.
Of the two SHUTS, bunt or covered
smut of wheat, sometimes referred to
as sinking smut" is found wherever
wheat is grown. sometimes resulting
in losses to the farmers of the Uni
ted States OF $20.000,000 or more an
nually. Not infrequently fields plant
ed to untreated seed and giving
promise OF yielding 80 to 40 bushels
per acre OF good wheat, will produce
a crop of covered smut amounting,
in some cases, to as much as 40 to
90 per cent OF the crop.
This smut disease is caused by a
parasitic fungus, which attacks the
growing wheat plant before the first
leaf appears above ground. Once in
side the attacked seeding, it con-
tinues its growth, and by the time the
wheat begins to head, the diseased
plants produce a crop of smut. If
we examine the heads of such a
plant, we find instead of normal
wheat grains, only lot of smut balls.
In other words, the materials pro-
duced by the living plant for the pur-
nj fhAa
grains, have been consumed by the
parasite in forming its masses of
smut spores, which finally occupy
the exact position in the wheat heads
that would have been filled by the
kernels had they been allowed to de-
velop. These smut balls consist of
nothing but millions of spores en-
closed in each case by a thin, en-
veloping membrane. When the smut
balls are crushed, the spores give off
an odor not unlike that of herring
brine. The liberated spores become
attached to the seed, which, if plant
ed without previous treatment, may
produce another crop of smutted
wheat.
Treat Seed With Formalin.
Blunt, or covered smut of wheat, is
one of the most easily prevented of
any of the cereal diseases.
The following procedure is recon-
Run all seed wheat through
4 tanning mill in order to blow out
he unbroken smut balls. This be-
ng done, the grain should be soaked
en- minutes in a solution consisting
If pound of commercial formalin
.obtainable at nearly all drug stores)
Idded to 40 gallons of water. The
eed thus treated is next allowed to
Train and is then piled on the floor
md stirred frequently until suffi-
iently dry to sow. If, during this
process, the kernels have swollen {
cry much, the drill should be set to
ow a little thicker, else the guam
ity sown per acre will be less than {
vas intended.
Rotation in Severe Cases.
Recent experiments have shown
hat in certain sections of the coun- .
ry, the soil of field producing a !
rop of smutted wheat this year, may !.
larbor enough smut spores to cause
he appearance of smut in next years
rop if the field be reseeded to wheat.
This sometimes occurs, where smut ,
s very bad, in spite of the planting /
# treated seed, and shows that in
UGH localities crop rotation should
'e practiced, in addition to seed
reatment. Blunt, or covered smut
# wheat, attacks no other cereal crop,
hough other cereals have their own