Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1920-03-11

wheat is locked more or less by the
miller.
When smutty seed is sown in the
soil the sinking smut spores germi-
nate simultaneously with the wheat
kernels, and the smut fungus pene-
trates the young wheat plant. 1t con-
tinues to grow within the tissues OF
the wheat plant and forms its spores
in the place where the healthy kernels
should be developed.
Control of Loose Smut.
Loose smut is very difficult to con-
troll because the fungus is inside of the
seed which is sown and hence can not
be reached by ordinary chemicals with
out killing the wheat embryo. The
disease, however, can be controlled by
the so-called hot-water treatment. The
method involves soaking the seed grain
in cold water for 4 to 6 hours. 1t is
then dipped in hot water at tempera-
ture Of 129 degrees Fahrenheit for 10
minutes; the seed should then be
spread out to dry.
1t is very important that the water
be kept at the exact temperature and
the seed immersed for just the cor
rect period of time. If the water is
allowed to get one or two degrees
above the temperature indicated, or
the time prolonged beyond the 10 min
utes, considerable injury to the grain
will result.
The hot-water treatment, on account
of its difficulties, is not practicable on
the average farm. One must have
an accurate thermometer and facilities
for keeping the temperature of the wa
ter constant. This can be done quite
easily where steam is available.
The Control Of Blunt.
Blunt, or sinking smut, Is readily
controlled by the use of formaldehyde
simple procedure is to place l pint
hyde in 40 gallons of water. The seed
to be treated should be freed as much
as possible from smut balls and other
foreign matter and should then be dip
ped in the folmaldehyde solution and
kept there about 10 minutes. During
this period the sack should be raised
and lowered so as to stir up the grain
and get it thoroughly in contact with
the solution. After treatment the
grain should be spread out to dry and
then sOwn as soon as possible. One
pint Of fOrmaldehyde solution, dis
solved in 40 gallons of water, Is suffi-
cient to treat about 40 bushels Of seed
grain.
Another method of applying the
solution Is to spread the grain to be
treated on a clean floor, and by means
of a sprinkling can sprinkle the solu-
ton over the grain. The grain should
be shoveled over in order to get the
solution well in contact with the grain.
The solution should be applied at the
rate Of about one gallon to one BUSH
ell Of seed grain. The grain should be
piled up and covered with sacks or
canvas and left for two or three hours.
1t should then be spread out to dry
and sown as soon as possible.
After treating the grain, great care
must be taken not to place it on a
floor or in sacks. which are contami-
mated with the bunt spores, or to SOW
it in drill which is contaminated.
Blunt Problem of the Pacific Northwest.
7 In the Pacific Northwest, bunt, or
shrinking smut, presents a very serious
problem because of soil infestation in
that region. During the thrashing of
a smutted crop the smut spores are
blown long distances over the fallowed
land, as summer following for wheat
is common practice. When the fall
rains occur, along about seeding time,
these spores in the soil terminate and
infect the young wheat plants as they
develop. On this account, seed treat
ment is not entirely effective; but, as
a general rule, the copper sulphate
treatment gives much better results
than the formaldehyde.
The copper sulphate or bluestone
treatment consists IN dipping the seed
in solution Of copper sulphate, l
pound of copper sulphate being dis
solved In gallons of water. After
immersion the seed is dried or sown
Immediately. This solution may cause
considerable injury to the grain. This
damage can be lessened greatly by
dipping the seed, after removal from
the copper sulphate solution, In solu-
ton of l pound of quicklime to 10
gallons of water. The lime prevents
the continued injurious action of the
copper sulphate.