The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1917-11-09
SEED TREATMENT
FOR OREGON GRAIN

IUlI OlhLUUU UllIl1Iv
The Oregon Agricultural College,
through its agent, J. 9. Hawkins, who
visited Athena last week, gives for
publication the following relative to
seed treatment for cereals:
The smuts and other diseases of
cereals which are carried by microsco-
pic spores on the seed are so common
throughout Oregon as well as else
where in the United States, that cross
free from disease cannot be expected
unless the seed is treated to kill the
diseases before planting. Where the
treatment is properly given the crop
will be practically free from smut.
Soil infection is practically unknown
in Western Oregon and is of little inn
portance IN most in the Columbia
Basin. Where it does not occur it may
result in smutty wheat crop in spite
of proper seed treatment. In region
where soil infections are frequent it
is reported that much of the danger
from this source may be avoided by
very early or late planting.
Formaldehyde treating solution.
The formaldehyde method is effec-
tive, inexpensive and is the one most
commonly used. The ordinary dilution
is:
Formaldehyde, formalin, full
strength about 81 per cent pint
Water 40 gallons.
One pint in forty FIVE gallons is
sometimes used and apparently with
equal effectiveness. Two methods Of
treating with formaldehyde are given
below.
l. Run grain through tanning mill
to remove smut balls, shrunken kerr
nels, etc.
.. Partly fill tank or barrel with
solution and put in the grain.
For Wheat--If the seed is not known
to be perfectly free from smut balls
pour the wheat in loose, stir with a
hoe or other implement to bring the
smut balls to the surface, and skim off.
If seed is known to be perfectly free
from smut balls it may be treated in
partially filled sacks. Soak for 30
minutes. Remove, drain and plant the
same day or wash with pure water and
spread out to dry.
For Oats:-Put oats in gunny sacks
and soak for twenty minutes in the
solution. Take out, drain and plant
at once. If grain is to be kept for a
later day, wash with pure water and
dry thoroughly. !,
For Barley Barley is more sensi-
tive to the action Of foru1aldehyde than
wheat or oats. Use same method as
for oats but use the weaker solution, !
pint formaldehyde to As or SO gallons
Of water and soak for ten minutes
only. 1t should then be washed with
pure water, drained, and if it is moi
seeded shortly should be thoroughly
dried.
| Sprinkling method.
/. Run grain through tanning mill.
| .. Spread grain out on clean fool
or tarpaulin a few inches thick.
| s. Sprinkle with the / pint to Al
gallons solution of formaldehyde, using
sprinkling can or sprayer.
| .. Shovel or hoe the grain till ever!
kernel is wet.
| S. Then shovel up into pile AM
cover with sacks or tarpaulin previous
| ly moistened with the solution. a
| 8. Leave for two hours or more. 4
! q. Uncover and spread out till dr.!
enough to run through drill and plan
at once or if the grain is not to b
seeded Immediately dry thorough,
before storing away.
The sprinkling method should not b,
used for wheat that has not bee
cleaned of smut balls as this metho,
does not kill the spores contained /
unbroken balls and when run througl
the drill the smut balls are broken an
the living smut spores are then sow
on the seed. Such grain should thers
fore be treated loose in an open tan
and the smut balls allowed to float t
the top of the solution where they ca
be removed by skimming.
Drill should be set to allow fl
swelling of seed when damp grain
planted.
Bluestone, Copper sulfate solution.
A good many growers use the blue
stone method in place of formaldehyd
with good results. 1t is more expel
o;yo ondnrohah hIv M moro effective tho