The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-03-20
SMUT PERIL GREAT
This YEAR DUE TO
| SEED AND FALL rain
agricultural College Warns
Farmers OF Necessity Of
First Treating Grain

oSSSs0sS W W
First Treating Grain
"With almost universal infection OF
seed due to last years heavy sinking
smut infection, together with heavy
fall rains, snow and cool soil condi-
tons, the chances are that North Da-
kota farmers will suffer heavy losses
from smut this year unless they treat
their seed" warns DR.. E. G. Booth. ex.
tension agronomist of the Agricultural
college.
Seed treating IS the cheapest insur-
ance growers can obtain against the
heavy market and yield losses smut
levies each year. For success in treat
ing seed two precautions are neces-
sary, high quality treating materials
and thorough covering Of seeds with
these materials. At a cost Of about a
cent q bushel, seed q be thoroughly
protected from smut by means OF the
formaldehyde treatment. Copper
carbonate treatment costs between
one and two cents a bushel.
Formaldehyde Not 50 Reliable
AS formaldehyde deteriorateS rap
Idly when stored in a cool place, it Is
decidedly unwise for farmers to Use
the solutions which have been kept
for a year or more. According to Dr.
Booth, the chances are about one III
ten that seed treated with old for
ma!dehyde will be effectively free OF
smut.
Likewise it is important when buy
ing f~ormaldehyde to be certain that
fresh solutions are secured. The
safest plan is to insist that the for
maldehyde come from sealed con-
tainers upon which the date of seal
ing is indicated.
Copper carbonate kept over from
other seasons is less likely to be in a
deteriorated condition. This material
Is a dry powder similar to flour. A
good test is to shake a little onto a
smooth sheet of paper. If it spreads
evenly and clings to the paper it is all
right and will cling to the smooth
seeds. Copper carbonate which will
not pass this test is not worth using.
In buying copper carbonate, get
the kind that has a strength of 20
per cent. Stronger mixtures are often
sold but are costlier and no more eff
ficient. Forty per cent is the desir-
able strength for the formaldehyde So
hutton.
North Dakota farmers are probably
most familiar with the formaldehyde
method of treating seed originated by
Prot. H. I. Bolley, of the Agricultural
college. This is how he recommends
that seed be treated:
ITO prepare the f~ormaldehyde So
tuition, use n pound of 40 per cent
formaldehyde (16 ounces avoirdupois)
to 40 gallons of water. For wheat ap-
ply this in any manner you see fit
Just so the grains are evenly wet over
the entire surface. Dip, sprinkle and
shovel, or run through a dipping ma
chine. DO not soak the wheat more
than necessary to wet evenly.
Sow Grain In We State
TT takes approximately one-half to
three-quarter gallon of solution for
each bushel Of dry wheat. Do the
treatment the day you sow the grain
or at least not more distant than the
afternoon of the day preceding. Put
the grain into the ground while yet
damp and swelled. Do not dry before
sowing. Harrow and pack the seed
bed so firmly that the moisture will
be brought well to the top so that the
seed will terminate at once.
Barley and oats should absorb ap-
proximately one to two gallons Of the
solution per dry bushel.
do not let damp, treated grain be-
come heated or frozen before it is
eeeded."
Under drouthy conditions, the cop
Der carbonate smut treatment gives
best results. Professor Bolley recon-
Emends that the seed be treated as
Follows:
For seed wheat only, apply to each
lbushel two to four ounces Of copper.
carbonate that contains approximate
hy 20 per cent copper. If possible, mix
The dust with the grain in an efficient
dust treating machine. Some large
box OF barrel or other homemade de-
INice which can be rotated after the
knanner of a barrel churn or cement
mixer will do. If carefully used.
Be careful to have each grain even
~ busted over its entire surface. II
the work is done by hand, spread q
number of bushels evenly in a thin
layer on a tight floor or canvas. Then
hdd the proper number Of ounces OF
dust. Rake, hoe or shovel over gently