Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-03-05

From Treated and Untreated Seed.
out killing the wheat embryo. The
disease, however can be controlled by
the so-caIed hot.water treatment. The
method involves soaking the seed grain
In cold water for to q hours. II IL
then dipped In hot water at tempera-
ture of 10 degrees Fahrenheit for ~
minutes; the seed should then be
spread out to dry.
Ii Is very important that the water
be kept ut the exact temperature and
the seed immersed for just the COR
rect period Of time. II 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.
Some progress is being made in de-
velopng central treating plants where
adequate facilities are available for
carrying out the treatment. The farm
er brings his grain to this plant and
an expert looks after its treatment.
In those sections whore loose smut Is
particularly destructive, il would seem
advisable for the county agents TO
develop the central treating plant
wherever possible.
The Control Of Blunt.
Blunt, or sinking smut, is readily
controlled by the use Of formaldehyde.
A simple procedure is to place / pint
or ! pound of commercial formalde-
hyde in 10 gallons of water. The seed
Ia be treated should be freed as much
rs possible from smut balls and other
foreign matter. and should then be dip
ped in the fomaldehyde 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 il thoroughly in contact with
the solution. After treatment the
grain should be spread out to dry and
then Sown rs soon as possible. One
pint Of formadehyde solution, dis
solved in 10 gallons of water, is suffi-
cient TO treat about 10 bushels of seed
grain.
Another method of applying the
solution is 10 spread the grain to be
treated on Il clean floor. and by means
of spr!nkling 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
el of seed grain. The grain should be
piled up and covered with sacks or
canvas and left for two or three hours.
II should then he spread out to dry
and sown as soon as possible.
After treating the grain, great care
must be taken not to place it on n
floor or in sacks which are contami-
mated with the hunt spores, or to sow
II in n drill which Is contaminated.
Blunt Problem Of the Pacific Northwest.
In the Pacific Northwest, bunt, or
sinking 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 suphate, |
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 a solu-
ton of ! pound of quicklime TO 10
gallons of water. The lime prevents
,he continued injurious action of the
copper sulphate.