The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-05-09
SMUT CAUSES
ExPL L0S|0NS
IN THRESHERS
DIR. H. H. BROWN, OF FEDERAL
-1hEMISTRY DEPARTMENT
= EXPLAINS VIZ TT DOES
TELLS HOW TO STOP It
INTERESTING INFORMATION
AND SUGGESTIONS GIVEN
BY EXPERTS ON SMUT

The smut in grain causes explos-
ions in threshing machines and mills
as we'll as elevators, and that most
of these explosions can be prevented
is the statement made by DR.. H. H
Brown, Of the department of chemis-
try, Washington, D. c., in the de-
partment Of agricultural research. DR..
Brown made very interesting talk
to fair sized audience in the Or
pheum theatre yesterday afternoon
and in the evening gave to this paper
a statement which will be of value to
farmers, threshing machine owners
and others dealing with grain in this
country where smut is worse than in
almost any other section of the grain
growing districts Of the United States.
That the government has been in
vestigating the smut pest and trying
to solve the problem is known, but it
was not known what success had at
tanned it's efforts. DIR. Brown gave
some interesting figures showing the
extent of the losses in threshing ma
chimes alone in the Palouse country
in four years and the steps that have
been taken to reduce this loss and
the success that has attended these
efforts. DR.. Brown said:
Regarding threshing machine ex-
plosions in the Palouse country, the
government has been compiling fig
ures for four years and finds that in
the two seasons of 1914-15 there were
more than 500 threshing machines
destroyed by explosions in this dis
trict alone, and that during the two
years of 1916-17, in which efforts
were being made to restrict these ex-
plosions and fires, the losses were
less than $50 machines in the two
years last named. That means that
about $50 threshing machines were
destroyed in four years, entailing a
loss of not less than $1,5OO,OOO in the
Palouse country alone. Many thought
these explosions were due to incen-
diarism, and perhaps some of them
were, but the greater number were
due to explosions of smut or dust in
fhe machines. This comes from
Sparks and static electricity which |
ignites the smut dust when the hui
midity is very low and the grain and
the dust are very dry. Explosions
very seldom occur when it is damp.
Hot, dry conditions of atmosphere,
with low humidity makes for explos-
ions and fires. We have measured
more than $4,000 volts of static cleo
tricity in threshing machines in op-
Grafton in this country. That was
The capacity of our measuring ap-
paratus and it showed the full capa-
city of $4,000 volts and we do not
know how much more there was. That
was all we could measure.
eve recommend grounding of all
machines used in threshing smutty
grain. This can be done very easily
and it is quite effectual. The plan
S to wire all moving parts of the
machine and carry these wires to one
common wire which leads to an iron
'od sunk deeply in the ground and
he soil around it kept moistened.
This draws the electricity into the
ground, as telephone, telegraph and
ther electric wires are grounded. We
ecommend using an iron rod at least
our feet long and taking a crow
'ar and sinking hole three or four
eet into the ground. Attach your
round wire to this and keep the
round around the rod wet. Throw
bucket of water into the hole made
y the crowbar before the iron rod
) placed in it. That insures moist (
re. ( If the ground were damp the
cd could be driven in the ground to .
Continued on Page ~ II