The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-09-01
,,HOw TO INCREASE YIELD.
Seed Treatment Will Save Millions of
Bushels Of Wheat and .Rye-The
Case for Seed Treatment.

Is lost through smut.
Seed treatment with formaldehyde
solution is practically 100 per cent.
efficient except in a few sections
where the soil is badly polluted with
smut spores.
The formaldehyde treatment costs
less than s cents per acre for ma
terials and labor. To this must be
added In extreme cases the cost of
~ per cent of the seed grain, the ger
mlnating power of which may be de-
stroyed because of seed injury.
In every case the entire cost of
the treatment together with possible
SEED injury is much less than the
value of the increased yield which
it assures.
NOW, that, because of world short
age' every bushel of wheat and rye
counts for more than ever before
the safeguarding of the next crops
of these grains against disease by the
treatment Of seed before planting is
! If greatest Importance, SAYS the Init.
ed States Department Of Agriculture.
| Department specialists estimate that
he average annual loss due to the
'muts of wheat and rye amounts ap-
proximately to 27,500,00O bushels.
This is equal to about 8 1.2 per cent
of - entire yearly wheat crop and
s. regarded as a conservative esti-
nate, since only smuttcd heads actual
lost are considered. The increased
lumber of heads which healthy plants
lave thrown out were not taken into
account. The loss to the billion
oushel wheat crop the department
lopes to see harvested next year
would, at 1-2 per cent. amount to
'5.OOO,0OO bushels. With wheat sell.
ng at 81 bushel this would amount
% an exceedingly high tax on the
armers Of the country.
/ Treatment OF Seed.
Treatment of wheat against Sinking
mut is fairly easy, not expensive and
ully 95 per cent effective. The ef-
lciency Of the treatment is, in fact.
practically 100 per cent. in most OF
he wheat-growing regions The per-
'entage Of efficiency for the country
Is a whole. however, is reduced by
he fact that in large regions in the
'acific Northwest the soil is polluted
With smut germs to such an extent
hat the effects Of seed treatment are
j Negative. Seed treatment costs not to
exceed cents an acre for materials
md labor. To this cost, however.
must be added the cost of grain.
he terminating power of which may
'e destroyed by the treatment. This
mounts at the most to 20 per cent
B every case the value Of the wheat
aved by treatment would amount to
eVeral times the cost of treatment.
Statistics show that the average
.nnual loss of rye from smut is about
per extraordinarily less than the
oss Of wheat. 1t is we'll worth while,
however. to treat rye seed also,
Method OF Treating Seed.
Several methods of treating seed
or the destruction of smut spores
ire in use, but the best, 1t is believ-
ID, is the formaldehyde treatment
rhe grain should first be cleaned
thoroughly with a tanning mill so
hat smut balls, shriveled grain, chaff, |
tc., will be removed. After the grain
clean 1t may be spread on a floor
,r a tarpaulin in a layer or pile sew
,ral inches thick ,and sprinkled with
solution Of fOrmaldehyde made by
mixing 1 pound of commercial for
naldehyde with As gallons of water.
IN ordinary sprinkling can or al
spraying machine is used and the
;rain is shoveled over and over un-
il every kernel is wet The grain is
hen placed in pile and covered
with sacks, blankets, or a tarpaulin
or 2 hours Or over night. 1t is then
Tried sufficiently to be run through
|, he drill, after which it may be sown.
! If the grain is not passed through
, tanning mill it should be placed in
vat or tank of the formaldehyde
solution instead of being sprnkled
The smut balls will rise to the surface
and may be skinned off.
| If the grain is not to be planted
| Immediately, it must be dried suffi-
ciently to prevent spelling when
damp and swollen, more grain by
measure must be used to allow for