Milford chronicle., 1926-09-17
WILL DEMONSTRATE CONTROL
OF WHEAT SMUT SATURDAY
continued from first page)

Saturday, afternoon Of this week.
Due to the severe prevalence of
sinking smut in the wheat crop last
season a large number of farmers
treated their seed, and last fall was
the first time that the treatment by
the dust disinfectants was introduce
ed to the Delaware wheat growers.
Five field meetings were held last
September and October in different
sections of the county by County
Agent Russell E. Wilson and DR.. J.
F. Adams, plant pathologist of the
University of Delaware and the State
Board of Agriculture, to demon
strate to the wheat growers the most
practical and economical means of
controlling this type of smut. Seed
treatment is an insurance against
this disease being troublesome the
following season, and the consequent
dockage on the selling market and
decreases in yields due to the in
tested heads.
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 printed
directions to those growers who are
planning to treat their seed wheat
this fall.
Dust Treatment
The control of smut or bust"
with dust disinfectants saves con-
siderable time and labor, as COM
pared with the formaldehyde dip or
sprinkling methods. The object OF
the disinfectants on the seed is to
protect the termination of the plant
against infection by the spores OF
the smut, as well as other fungi
which are carried on the grains.
Various methods Of treating seed
wheat with the dust disinfectants
can be followed with good results,
and the method used depends large
ly 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 quantities of
seed wheat the grain may be poured
out into a pile on clean flour in the
barn or in some other suitable
building, and the proper amount OF
dust sprinkled over it. AS the efti-
cheney of these dust treatments de-
pends upon the thOrOughness with
which the grains of wheat are cover
ed. it is very essential that the seed
be shoyeled over five or six times
during the treatment process. rms
operation will evenly distribute the
chemicals through the wheat thereby
adding to the effectiveness OF the
control method.
When large quantities of grain
are to be treated, metal drum or
barrel with a tight fitting lid can
be used to a great advantage. The
grain is placed in the container and
the proper amount of dust added for
each bushel of seed, then the drum
is sealed and rotated for about five
minutes to allow the dust to become
thoroughly mixed with the grains OF
wheat.
After the wheat has been treated
it should be placed in clean sacks so
as not to come in contact with TINS
smut from other sources. The wheat
may be treated and stored away for
anv length of time before seeding.
AS these dusts are very poisonous
they must be handled with extreme
care, and under no circumstances
should any of the treated. grain be
fed to live stock. Some of the COM
mercial dust disinfectants that have
given good results in the control OF
this stinking smut in other sections
of the country aside from Delaware
are Coppercarb, Semesan and Bayer
Dust. The cost of treatment, how
ever, varies according TO the eX-
pense of the disinfecrant used, but
this cost is very nominal considering
the increase in yield secured by con-
trolling the smut, also the oiim1na-
ton of dockage by having clean
wheat at harvest.
Similar field meetings to demon
strate the control Of smut in wheat
will be held on the farms of A. c.
Darrah and VIM. H George in the
Smyrna and Clayton communities,
and James Thompson, east of Dover,
near Cowgill's Corner. The meeting |
on the Darrah farm will be on Fri |
day afternoon, September il, the |
one on the George farm, near Sever
sons Church, has been scheduled for
Thursday afternoon, September %,
and the demonstration on the
Thompson farm will be held on Fri
daY afternoon. September u.