The Mena weekly star., 1918-08-15
|. CREASED ACREAGE .OF OATS AID WHEAT
Necessary To Treat Oats and Whea.
 For Smut Before Planting.
By John A. Elliott, Plant Pathologist.
 Arkansas Experiment Station.

By John A. Elliott, Plant PathoIogist,
 Arkansas Experiment Station.
 Arkansas increased her oat yield from 21 bushels per acre in 1916 to IS bushels in 1917, and her total pro. duction was s.520,O0O bushels on BIO. 900 acres. This increase in yield was undoubtedly due not only to the sea son. but to better cultural methods and especially to the interest ani care in the treatment for smut before planting.
 We must have a great Increase in the acreage of both oats and wheat. and consequently the importance If seed treatment for smut cannot be over estimated at this time. si. ce this is at least one of the great factors which farmers can help control in the production of these grains.
 Oat smuts and tho stinking smut of wheat can be controlled by treat ing with solution of formalin which has been found to be most suitable The wet and dry methods have been satisfactory. The dry method has proven to be the more simple. and just as effective as the wet method.
 Wet Method.
 For the wet method use a diluted solution of formalin, pint of 40 per cent commercial solution in 40 gal Ions of water. This is sprayed over the grain at about the rate of 1 gal lon to the bushe and the grain stirred until 1t is all thoroughly wet. It is then covered with heavy blank cts or canvas for or F hours, after which it is spread out thinly and dried As soon as it will run through the drills it may be planted
 Dry Method.
 Use 1 pint of 40 per cent formalin solution in pint Of water to treat 30 bushels of grain This makes one quart of solution for 30 bushels. The grain should be ghoveled from one pile to another, and the formalin sprinkled through t as evenly 6s possible The grain should then be closely covered with blankets o7 canvas for or hours. never longer. The grain is then ready to plant at once as it is dry
 A great many varieties of spring and winter oats were grown on the Arkansas Experiment Station farm this year All of the seed was treat ed with formaln except for a few | plots left as checks. A roadway was left between each two acre plot and this also sown with untreated seed l Not trace of smut could be found on the treated plats; the untreatee oats in the roadway had 15 to 20 pei cent of smutted heads, while some o the untreatea plots had over 30 pei cent of smut A better demonstra tion of the value of seed treatmen coud not have been found. Man, farmers treated their oats last fal or aring with equally good resuls AS tCfore mentioned. this treatmen 1 is equally effective for the stinkin smut of wheat
 Loose smut of Wheat Not controlIe
 by Formalin.
 ManY farmers have been discouI aged "a year by their losses due t' Loose smut of wheat and the failue Of formalin or biue.stone 10 contro it Loose-smut of wheat can not b. controlled by the formalIn or blue stone treatment for the following reasons: Wheat loose-snut infectl ! the wheat only at blooming time I gets inside of the new grain. whers Il remains without being observed until the heads of the plant. growr from the infected seed, appear in tli' following season then instead of ; head of grain, a head of smut appears The smut heads mature a few dayi before the healthy plants bloom, SC that when the healthy plants are f. full bloom the smut spores are he ing scattered by the wind and infec the blossoms of the new-year. so tha seed wheat should never De saye' from a badly infected field. | would be a great economy to pur | chase seed-wheat which is known t l be free from this smut. Thresheri do not spread this smut, althougl they do spread oat smuts and stink | ing smnt of wheat.
 There is every reason that a goot trade in seed wheat could be secui Q, by any farmer who would raise dis | ease-free wheat.
 SELECT WEEVIL RESISTANT
 SEED CORN AT HARVEST TIME