The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-03-08

Corn, OF one variety or another is
our most widely distributed cereal
crop. Therefore, any single disease
that takes a toll of per cent is mat
ter for serious consideration. The Unit
ed States department of agriculture es-
Inmates the damage done by corn root
rots in 1919 at over 125,000000 bush
els. Multiplied by the average price
OF corn for that year we have before
US the unpleasant fact that these rots
took a tax of over $200,000,000.
When it is considered that one OF
the same organisms which causes corn
root rot also causes wheat scab and
that these organisms carried over on
corn stnbble may infect a field OF
wheat the next year the seriousness
increases.
Works Insidiously.
Corn root rots are among the most
deceptive diseases known to agricul-
ture, say specialists of the United
States department of agriculture. They
affect the kernels of corn in such a
way that while they may germinate
they often will produce sickly, diseased
plants which may die in the early
stages or produce infected corn. These
diseases weaken the plants at the low
err joints, and if they come to maturity
the damage is perpetuated.
Theoretically, corn root rot is pre-
ventable; practically, it is so to large
measure. If all corn stubble, weeds
and grasses act as winter hosts could
be removed and destroyed there would
be little Judgment for corn root rot.
| But to carry out such a control meas
IRE is not practicable. There is bet
ter. more practical way to prevent the
disease, namely: seeing that none but
healthy seed go into the ground, and
that the young plants have the priv
ilege of being born right" There is
only one known method OF assuring
perfect seed and that is the improved
! termination test. 1t is necessary tor
! farmers wishing to avoid corn root rot
to terminate kernels from every ear
of corn to be used for seed. The SIM
piest method of making test is by
means of an improved rag doll germi-
nator This, in its essential features,
consists of nothing more than broad
strip Of muslin backed by moisture
proof fibre paper. Rows OF seed ker-
ne1s are placed on the cloth which is
rolled up and LETT in warm box. The
results are, of course, checked against
the ears from which the kernels were
taken and only perfect or nearly per-
feet ears are kept for seed. This ger
minator is very simple and furnishes
practically complete test
Bleached or unbleached muslin can
be used for the rag doll. The cloth,
which usually comes in 54-inch
width, is torn across into l2-inch strips,
81 inches long. Before being used the
cloth is boiled and it should be damp
when the seeds are placed on II.
This cloth is laid on a strip OF glazed
paper, a little longer than the cloth,
to allow folding over at the ends,
fresh newspapers being placed on the
table under the paper to avoid intec-
ton.
About 3 kernels are then taken from
each ear and, beginning at the butt,
are laid in rows across the muslin
strip, so that when the strip is rolled
up and placed in a terminating box
the tips OF the seed will be downward.
One row is made from the kernels
from each ear and the rows are so
spaced that 20 will go on the strip of
cloth. This is then rolled up snugly,
but not too tightly, and held with a
rubber band at each end, being tagged
with numbers corresponding to those
OF the ears as 2l-30; 41-60, etc.
These rag dolls are placed on end
in the germinator box, which is about
by 2 feet and Is inches deep, with
wire or other partitions to keep the
dolls apart The box has damp gun
nysacks on the bottom, and is placed
inside OF larger box, the space be-
tween being insulated with damp saw
dust. The rag dolls are sprinkled twice
daily, and at the end of J days are