The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1916-12-08

Wheat Heads and Straw Showing e.
feets Of Rust. WelIman's Fife
(smooth on Lefty Haynes Blue
stem, No. 81 (veIvet).
only one kind of rust is found, and
this is rarely serious.
The oat rusts are very commonly
present and sometimes cause severe
epidemics In certain oat-growing
states. OF the wheat rusts the most
important one at the present time IL
the stem rust, commonly called the
'black rust" which was the cause of
the epidemic of rust in the spring
wheat states this year. The leaf rust
of wheat is almost always present ev-
cry year and is familiar to most farm
ers as "red rust" and while 1t un-
dOubtedly does at least q slight dam
age, II seldom II ever causes O severe
loss. The yellow, or stripe rust Of
wheat, has only recently been discov-
cred In this country. II also attacks
barley and certain wild grasses and
has been found In the western part Of
the United States, but not as yet east
Of the Rocky mountains except In east
ern Wyoming. 1t is common rust
In Europe and considered a serious
disease. II II continues to spread In
this country. and II It proves as seri-
Gus an enemy to wheat here as 1t has
In Europe. 1t is possible that It will
add materially to the rust troubles Of
our cereals.
Grasses as Rust PIants.
The life histories of the rusts are
sometimes complex. This Is especial
ly true Of the most important Of the
wheat rusts; namely, the stem rust. 1t
may pass part Of Its existence on an
ornamental shrub known as barberry,
Berberis vulgaris, where II produces
rust spores In May or June. These
rust spores may infect wheat or other
cereals. The stem rust may also in
its red and black stages live on many
common wild grasses. 1t is also
fact that the stem rusts of the other
cereals may also pass their spring
stage on the barberry plant. Although
the rust may live over the winter on
grass plants or may be brought up In
the early spring from the South with
out the Intervention Of barberry
plants, nevertheless, barberry plants
serve as an active means Of spreading
the rust In very vigorous fashion.
The common barberry should not be
permitted In the nelghborhood Of any
NJ In In
would best be eliminated entirely from
the grain-growing states at least. The
small-leaved barberry, Berberis thun-
bergii, called also Japanese barber
ry," Is not attacked by the rust and
may be safely planted.
Rusted Seed.
Since the cereal rusts may also live
on grass plants, q considerable study
has been undertaken to find out the
exact relations between the rusts
found on wild grasses and those on
cereals. The matter Is found to be
somewhat complex. There can be no
doubt that the grasses have a marked
influence on the prevalence Of rust,
and that wheat rust epidemics are con.
siderably promoted by the common
wild grasses. The different rusts are
found, however, only on certain kinds
OF grasses and these relationships, to-
gether with the possible effect Of the
grasses on the virulence of an cpl.
demic, are now being investigated.
Rusted Seed.
AnathnR nxrtw al,
ton under investigation is that Of
rust In the seed. 1t has been known
for some time that in badly-rusted
fields the rust II often present even
on the tips of the wheat seeds. 1t has
been thought by some that this rust
might be transmitted by the seed to the
young Seeding and thus start the cpl.
demic again In the following spring.
Evidence from field and greenhouse
experiments conducted up to the pres
ent time does not support this view,
but conclusive evidence is dependent
on further Investigation.
As far as Is known at the present
time 1t 10 safe to take seed from a
rusted field. 1t IL necessary, however,
that the lightweight, shrunken ker-
nels be removed and only the heaviest
oeld Much 90 ,ha 49, -. -
year's cron 10 of ya,, no.. an.,,..
md should ha thoronah,n go ~
screened snoc,ai aeror. shnr,a "
made th,s yaar 70 nron,sn 80 20
seed wheat Cor nov. 80 Gn., So
tion tasta os course :hau,. ~ as
w A'u'
So'operas'Ve WORK
huhper OF state experiment sta
tious are 'ithiiy interested In the rust
WIN anu are cooperating with the
eereai patnoiogist OF the department
ms stripe rust In the western states,
or n,,,s ,,s de- s, na ,.ueo, "setn'
lations. ara M nrasan, rndan ,n~a.,,
cation.
Tbero In s,so .ons,,o.o,,. ~ -
tive ,yorl ho,n, g. - n, "