Smyrna times., 1926-09-15
CONTROL WHEAT SMUT URGED
Farmers Troubled With Smut or Bust
to Have Demonstration on Darrah
Farm near Clayton, Next Friday


All those farmers in the vicinities
of Kenton, Clayton and Smyrna who
have experienced troubles with the
sinking smut, or "bust" as it is fre-
quently called, in their wheat crop this
season will be interested in attending
a field meeting which has been sched-
uled by Kent County Agent Russell E.
Wilson at the farm of A. C. Darrah
for Friday afternoon, September II,
at o'clock, for the purpose of dem
onstrating the control of this disease
by seed treatment. Assistance in this
work will be given by DR.. ]. FAdams,
Plant Pathologist of the University of
Delaware and the State Board of
Agriculture, who cooperated with Mr..
Wilson in conducting five field meet
ings throughout the county last year
to demonstrate the treatment of seed
wheat for smut control. For the past
two or three years, and particularly
last season, the wheat crop in many
sections Of Delaware has been heavily
infested with this sinking smut with
the result that many farmers received
marked deduction in the price of their
wheat when it was delivered on the
market. Wheat that is infested with
smut does not bring the highest mar
ket price, and many farmers were
forced to take considerably less for
their wheat on account of this dis
ease. It is of greatest Importance,
therefore, that every effort be put
forth by the growers to control this
smut infestation in their seed wheat,
and every farmer who is interested in
this treatment is invited to attend the
demonstration to be conducted on the
Darrah farm on Friday afternoon of
this week. Arrangements have also
been made to conduct similar dem
onstration on the farm of William H..
George, near Seversons Church on the
Smyrna Woodland Beach road, on
Thursday Afternoon of next week for
the benefit of those farmers who live
in the eastern section of the county.
Further announcement of this meeting
will be published in next weeks issue
of the Times, and all the farmers are
invited to attend this meeting which
will be held on the afternoon of Sep
tember %. Two other smut control
demonstrations have been arranged
for the other section of the county by
County Agent Wilson, and it is ex-
pected that a large number of wheat
growers will take advantage of these
field meetings to learn more about the
improved methods of treating seed
wheat with these dust disinfectants.
To Give Smut Control Demonstrations
One Of these demonstrations will be
conducted on the farm of William
Vinyard, near Houston, on Saturday
afternoon of this week, and another
one will be held on the farm of James
Thompson, near Cowgills Corner, on
Friday afternoon, September %. All
the farmers in the county are request
ed to bear in mind these dates and
arrange to attend at least one of these
field meetings. For specific directions
regarding the use of formaldehyde
and the dust disinfectants for smut
control, the farmers are requested to
get in touch with their County Agent
who will send free upon request print
ed directions to those growers who are
planning to treat their seed wheat this
fall. The control of smut or "bust"
with dust disinfectants saves consid-
cradle time and labor, as compared
with the formaldehyde dip or sprink-
nf Hhn Ill
infectants on the seed is to protect
the termination of the plant against
infection by the spores of the smut, as
we'll as other fungi which are carried
on the grains. Various methods of
treating seed wheat with the dust dis
infectants can be followed with good
results, and the method used depends
largely upon the amount of grain to
be treated. These dusts are used at
the rate of two ounces to each bushel
of grain. For treating small quanti-
ties of seed wheat the grain may be
poured out into a pile on clean floor
in the barn or in some other suitable
building, and the proper amount of
dust sprinkled over it. AS the effici-
ency of these dust treatments depends
upon the thoroughness with which the
grains of wheat are covered, it is very
essential that the seed be shoveled
over five or six times during the treat
ment process. This operation will
evenly distribute the chemicals thru
the wheat thereby adding TO the eff
fectiveness of the control method.
Treating Grain in Large Quantities
When large quantities of grain are to
be treated, metal drum or a barrel
with tight fitting lid can be used to
great advantage. The grain is
placed in the container and the prop
er amount of dust added for each