The daily banner., 1919-07-25
Sees ERADICATION OF
new WHEAT DISEASES
Department of Agriculture Believes
Flag Smut And Take-AIl Are Now
Under Control.

dications are that the two dreaded
foreign foes of wheat, flag smut and
take-all, will not become widespread
in the United States. The United
States Department Of Agriculture
announces that the two States where
these diseases appeared, Indiana and
Illinois, have taken steps that will
prevent the spread of the diseases
from the infected fields and that
should wipe out in few years the
infection in fields where it exists.
Indiana officials came to the re-
cent hearing in Washington with
adequate safeguards already placed.
Shortly after the hearing, Illir ois es-
tablished similar safeguards. All
the infected wheat in both States is
under control and will be disinfec-
ted before any use whatever is made
of it. All straw and stubble are to
be burned, threshing machines are
to be thoroughly disinfecTed, and
no wheat is to be grown in infected
areas for several years.
Under these conditions full conf
dence is felt that neither of the dis
eases will spread from the diseased
areas in Illinois and Indiana That
does not mean, however. hat ihe
lght agsif fsse j
is over It is possible that one or
both of the diseases exist this year
in places where they have not been
recognized. There is, however, no
great probability that this is true,
The Department of Agriculture and
it's cooperating agencies have been
diligently on tho lookout for these
two diseases all summer, and have
found no evidences of them except
in the two areas. Both flag smut and
take-all occur in Illinois and only
take-all in Ind iana The experts,
however, realize the possibility that
some infested spots may have es-
capped observation, and it would not
be surprising if diseased fields are
found elsewhere next spring.
In the meantime, there will be nc
let-up in the work of preventing
either of the diseases from getting
real foothold anywhere in the Uni
ed States. The Federal Department
is working with the authorities Of
Illinois and Indiana, giving them
every possible aid. Its pathologists
are energetically studying the dis,
eases, and it's representatives are
searching the country over to make
certain whether or not there are
other infested areas and to see that
effective measures of control are
available if any such areas are dis
covered.
The cooperation of State authori-
ties is essential in order to prevent
hardship if further infestations
should be discovered. Only the
prompt action of Indiana and ILL.,
nois prevented the placing of quar-
antine against all the wheat in those
States, "a measure which would have
meant hardship, not only to all the
wheat growers in the two States, but
to dealers, millers and consumers.
Even prompter State action will be
desirable if either Of the diseases Is
found later to exist in any other
State.
Neither of these diseases Is likely
to find It's way into the country again
from outside sources. The Depart.
ment of Agriculture has established
quarantine regulations against al
the rest of the world in which either
of the diseases exists. No small
gain can come in for any purpose un
less it has been thoroughly sterilized
with steam heat. 1t is the purpose
of the department, say its officials
to make the cleanup of these plant
plaques as thorough and as prompt
as it did the foot-and-mouth disease
of animals few years ago.
Cook stoves. ranges, oil cooE