Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-04-29
Oat Smut In Maine.

II okuut, uOC VI bu0 obS0 VIII WuiCu tuii
disease can be prevented. In the sum
mer OF 1918 the pathologist In charge ol
the cereal disease investigations OF thu
Bureau Of Plant Industry at Washington
conducted q cereal disease survey In thii
state. He has very kindly placed tht
records obtained from this survey In the
hands Of the Maine Agricultural Expert
ment Station.
Since there might be some difference
in methods Of handling the statistics II
is only fair to state that the data giver
below were compiled from these Original
records by the Station. For example
the average amount OF smut for the Oai
fields Of q given town or county, or fol
the state as q whole might be obtained
by adding the amounts recorded for each
field and dividing by the number oi
fields. This would be accurate II the
| fields were all the same size, but where
the size Of the fields vary from one acre
up to 100 acres or more 1t has seemed to
the writer that the only fair method ID
to calculate the average on the basis OF
the number OF acres examined In given
section, and not upon the basis of the
number of fields examined. Therefore
the data given below are expressed on
the acre average basis.
Records were made in every county 10
Maine and in nearly 60 different towns.
The number made per county varied
from three fields with . total of four
les in Cumberland to 80 fields con.
tanning 6S7 acres In Aroostook. The
total for the state was 200 fields and
1851 acres. According to the Bureau OF
Crop Estimates the oat acreage of Maine
for 1918 was 10000 These records,
then, cover about three-fourths of one
per cent OF ell of the oats planted In the
state last season. While this percentage
may seem small it is believed that the
records are 80 scattered that they rea-
sonably represent the condition of the
fields of the state as whole as regards
oat smut. They certainly contain more
representative and reliable data than any
previously obtained.
Since a smutted head of grain il q
total loss, this Is case where per cent
of disease is fairly accurate measure
ment of the per cent of loss from the
disease. The average amount of oat
smut for the state was 2.6 per cent.
The Bureau of Crop Estimates gives
Maine's total oat crop for 1918 to be
8, ,760, 900 bushels. This, then, is 81 4
per cent of the yield obtainable II smu,
had not been present. In other words,
even though the average per cent Ia
small, the total loss is about 10000
bushels. Even at 30 cents per busbel
this amounts to 500, 10000, 50 it is safe to
estimate that oat smut alone cost Maine
farmers over 800, 900 90 In 1918.
Individual losses in certain cases were
much greater than this however. OF the
1851 acres examined 1872 acres were re.
corded ~ having over per cent, and 81
Of these had over 10 per cent. Fields
were found which showed as high ss IL
per cent. Where one bushel in 20 or
one in 10 or better is given to the smut
fungus the profits from oat growing
must be materially reduced.
Oat smut can be easily and cheaply
prevented by seed treatment, yet out OF
the 1851 acres examined only 81 acres
we're reported as planted with treated
seed. With one exception field Of
six acres with one per cent of smut-all
of these fields we're smut-fres. No data
are at hand as to how the seed WAS treat
ed or was handled after treatment,
where the single failure occurred.
Regarding seed treatment for smut,
one of Names leading ost growers
practical farmer who has taken prize
after prize at the annual seed show
says: "FOrmaldehyde treatment is q
simple, inexpensive method, requiring
no special precautions. The smut spores
do not carry over In the soil but on the
seed, which can be treated at an expense
of three cents per busbel. Immerse q
bag of oats for twenty minutes In bar
rel containing one pint of commercial
formaldehyde 40 per cenr) to forty gal
Ions OF water. Arrange blocks and pull.
Icy to draw tho bag up over the barrel
to drain, then put In another bag. After
twenty minutes spread the first or the
floor to dry and draw up the second bag,
80 on till oil are treated. Stir the oats
occasionally that they may dry evenly
and be ready to SOW the next day." In
drying the treated seed 1t should not be
placed where 1t might come in contact
With smut spores scattered from un-
treated oats. The box of q seeder pre-
viously used for untreated seed should
be washed out or sprayed inside with
formaldehyde solution, and then dried
before using.
Another method commonly recon-
mended is ss follows: Pile the seed to
be treated on clean barn floor or on Q
large canvas. With q common sprink-
ling pot or hand pump, sprinkle or spray
the seed with solution of one pint of
formaldebyds to 40 or 30 gallons o.
water, at the rate Of one gallon per bushl
ell or vet till the seed will pack In the
hand. Shovel over to ensure wetting of
each seed. Cover with blanket or can
vas at least four hours, but not longer,
and then spread out to dry.
A new method OF treatment by spray
ing with q strong solution of formslde-
hyde has recently been recommended.
Il is said to be equally effective and
avoids the necessity of drying the seed
after treatment. Spread the seed on q
clean barn floor or canvas as before.
Mix one pint of 40 per cent formaldehyde
with one pint of water and place In Q
small hand sprayer that uses q quart
glass fruit jar for reservoir. The glass
jar 10 necessary 80 that the operator can
judge as to the rapidity that the liquid
10 being used up. One man shovels the
grain over slowly while the other sprays
the liquid. Direct the spray under
meath the falling shovelful of oats and
let the seed fall through It. After spray.
ing, shovel the pile of oats over again to
ensure thorough mixing, and cover with
clean bags or oanyas for Eve hours One
pint OF formaldehyde. used in this way,
Is sufficient for so bushels of seed oats.
Grain can be treated 10 this way any
length Of time before planting and
stored till ready to use. care being taken
not to expose 1t again to contamination
by smut spores.
Grain, treated with formaldehy de Ia
not poisoned. II not all is needed fol-
seed the remainder can be used with
perfect safety for feeding animals.-
Chas. D.. Woods, Director.
The chief advantages of cheese as Q