The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1917-02-08

Twelve Per Cent Of Crop Is Destroyed
BY Smut-The Best Remedy
Is Formalin.

The plant disease survey made dur
ing the last year and covering more
than one-half the counties in the state
shows that smut caused the loss OF
~ per cent Of the oat crop according
to the report Of J. Lee Hewitt. Plant
Pathologist with the University OF Ar
kansas, who says that there was little
disease and loss where the seed had
been treated with formalin before
planting.
Ten million bushes OF oats were
produced in Arkansas in 1916. Twelve
per cent OF this crop, or 1,200,OOo
bushels were lost because Of smut.
The average yield for the state was
81 bushels per acre. consequently.
three and one-fourth bushels per acre
was the average loss With oats at
40 cents a bushel. IN average farm
price. S156 was the average money
loss per acre by treating seed with
formal,n before planting with a cost
of about two cents per acre and the
work. this enormous loss TO the farm
ers OF the state could have been avert
ed Every farmer In Arkansas should
see the value OF the fomalin treatment
and use il before planting the 1917
crop.
Two Causes Of Loose Smut.
Loose smut may be caused by either
81 two fungi which are so similar that
they may be considered as one in the
treatment for smut The loss from
smut IL greater than is commonly sup
posed for / Smutty stalks are usual
" shorter than healthy ones and not
easily observed . The boot some
times hides the smutty heads which
then appear only as immature or bar
rem plants 3. Smut ripens several
DAYS before cutting, and may blow
and not noticeable
Smut Is parasite plant that grow.
inside OF and feeds upon the oat plant,
Smut robs growing oat plants of nour
ishmcnt and weakens them. some
times 80 much that they cannot push
their paniclos or heads out OF the
sheath Of the upper leaf
Thre ehna Machine Agent Of Infection.
The black masses OF smut. seen
when the grain is ripaning. consist Of
countless numbers Of spores. When
the oats terminate and grow the smut
spores gcrminate also The tiny
smut plants penetrate and enter the
oat plants. growing ND within. There
is nothing 10 indicate their presence
until the heads form. Al this time
the oat kernels are filled with I'll,
smut Sometimes only part of the
head is affected 4 part OF all Of the
stalks from each stool may be attack
cd The threshing machine is the
wholesale agent OF infection as crops
practically free from smut may be
come infected by spores carried In
the machine from an infected neigh
boring field
To Prevent Smut.
l. Use seed oats free from smut
. Disintect all sacks. bins etc with
formalin 3 Treat seed oats With for
malin when there ~ any doubt OF their
hoing free from smut. One pound to
lbi ~ EtllOUS oI water Is the SAME ~
one ounce TO two and one.half gallons
Tee this strength with the sprinkling
method
Formalin Treatment Of Grain
Spread the grain in LAYER three 70
four inches thick on clean floor or
canvas With a watering pot. sprinkle
the grain thoroughly with the mixture
Of formalin and water When the grain
Is pretty wet all over shovel II back
and forth two or three times TO get
some OF the mixture on every grain
Add more OF the mixture and shower
over until the grain is quite wet but
not wet enough to pack In the hand
Then shovel into n pile and cover with
empty sacks. Let stand for six TO |.
hours Spread out the grain and dry
quickly and thoroughly otherwise the
grain may terminate which will IN
iure II Driving NAV be FASTENED by
adding air Stacked lime II will take
about one gallon OF mixture for each
hushel Of grain II the grain is sowed
before thoroughly dried. allow about
one neck 10 the bushel extra for the
swelled condition OF the grain Do not
use more or less formalin than Is rec
commended Do not put treated grain
into old, smutty sacks. bins or any
place or receptacle not having been
treated with formaln.
A. Formaln treatment is for. CD
Runt or sinking smut OF wheat. fe)
An oak smuts. go Kernel smut OF
sorghum. ca Covered smut OF bar
ley. 90 SHUTS of millet.
p Hot water treatment is for: (n
Loose smut OF wheat (2) Head
smut OF barley.
c. Seed treatment is useless for:
"a Corn smut. co Head hmut OF
sorghum