Smyrna times., 1927-09-21
FARMERS LOSE THOUSANDS Of
DOLLARS DUE To WHEAT SMUT
SAY SMUT MUST BE CURBED OR
MORE DAMAGE WILL RESULT
Increase is Taking Place in an Alarm
ing Result in Delaware, Maryland
and Pennsylyania-Prev

and Pennsylyania-Prey
Thousands Of dollars in losses have
been suffered by wheat farmers in the
States of Pennsylvania, Delaware and
Maryland due to sinking smut or
bunt according to The Commercial
Exchange Of Philadelphia through
which organization millions of bush
els of grain are marketed annually.
The increase in smut infection in the
wheat farming area that is tributary
to the Philadelphia market has reach
ed an alarming state and experts IA
miliar with the spread of the disease
say that it is likely further devasta-
tion is probable unless widespread
preventive measures are taken at the
time of sowing wheat this Fall. The
most effective remedy against smut is
by treating the seed wheat with a
chemical known as Copper Carbonate.
Sinking smut received its name
from the black, sooty appearance of
the spores and the unpleasant odor
which emanates from them. Plant
pathologists declare that smut is a
parasitic plant which lives within the
grain plant itself. If seed grain is
planted which has attached to it these
almost invisible smut spores, the
spores will germinate about the same
time as the seeds, sending out minute
threads which penetrate up through
the stem Of the plant itself into the
head and kernels as the grain ripens.
When this smut plant reaches the
kernel Of grain, it displaces the in
gradients which ordinarily form in
the kernel with millions Of tiny spores
leaving what is commonly called a
smut ball in place of a sound kernel
of wheat. These so-called smut balls
break up and scatter and the minute
spores attach themselves to the out
side of sound kernels of wheat as the
grain is handled. One smut spore is
capable Of developing into plant
that produces a number of smut balls
by the time the grain natures. Thus,
as the smut spores multiply, the dis
ease becomes an increasing menace.
Smut takes its toll in a two-fold
manner, first, by the decrease in the
yield per acre and secondly as result
of the discount at which the wheat
must sell when it reaches the market,
and smutty wheat requires special
machinery to treat it by washing,
securing and cleaning before it is fit
to be milled into flour. Discounts on
smutty wheat range from to 25c per
bushel depending upon the degree of
smut present, with the average dis
count about 7c per bushel. The rec
ords Of the grain inspection depart
ment Of The Commercial Exchange of
Philadelphia, show that over 20 per-
cent Of the 1927 crop Of Pennsylvania
wheat arriving in Philadelphia has
been designated smutty. The United
States Department of Agriculture es-
Inmates the 1927 wheat crop of Penn
sylvania to be about 20,000,000 bush
els. If the same proportion of smutty
wheat applies to the entire State as
was found in the carloads received in
Philadelphia, approximately $280,000
was lost in the market value of Penn
sylvania wheat, not to mention the
fewer bushels that were harvested
from each field infected with smut
disease
Arrivals Of wheat in Philadelphia
from Delaware and Maryland indicate
that smut was even more prevalent in
those States than in, Pennsylvania.
Nearly so per cent oflthe wheat from
Delaware and Maryland was graded
smutty. Delaware's estimated yield
of wheat for the 1927 crop is 1877
600 bushels and Maryland's yield was
placed at 1O,587 900 bushels. Accord
ing to these figures nearly 100000
bushels Of smutty wheat was raised
in those States with loss in market
value Of about $420,000. A conserva-
tive estimate Of the loss from the
smut disease in the three States men
toned would be over $1,000,000.
Copper carbonate is the best all
around fungicide for preventing stink
ing smut Of wheat. There are two es-
sentials for good treatment; good
grade of copper carbonate and thor
ough mixing of the seed. Copper car
Donate containing 20 per cent of cop
per can be bought for about zoe a
pound and since it requires only 2 to
8 ounces to treat each bushel of seed
wheat, enough wheat can be treated
with which to SOW 40 acres.for about
$500 to cover the price of material.
Special machines are on the market
to be used for dusting seed wheat
with copper carbonate but home
made barrel churn may also be used
for this purpose. Dusting Of the seed
wheat may be done at any time bat
the grain should be kept dry until
planting. When treating the seed the
operator should be careful to avoid
breathing in the dust.
The Commercial Exchange of Phil
adelphia through its members who are
in daily communication with country
grain dealers and millers throughout
the farming regions, is instituting
campaign to bring wheat farmers to
a realization Of the seriousness Of the