THE PREVENTION OF SMUT IN WHEAT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1194, 18 January 1895, Page 6

THE PREVENTION OF SMUT IN WHEAT.

This subject is always claiming attention, and the best way out of the difficulty is to have clean seed, for, if there are no smut spores upon the grain sown, there will be no smut upon the plants that grow from it. It has been conclusively shown that smut spores upon wheat or oats can be destroyed by immersing the grain for I fifteen minutes in water at a tempera- | lure of 132 degrees F. This not only the smut spores, but hastens the germination of the grain and improves the general growth of the plants. The difficulty in this treatment is to maintain a temperature of 13*2 degrees, for, if it falls below 130 degrees or rises beyond 135 degrees, the remedy is likely to fail. Any way by which this temperature of 132 degrees F. can be kept up and the grain immersed in it twelve to fifteen minutes may be adopted. Some persons take two vessels, one containing water at 110 degrees F. to 120 degrees F., the other water at 132 degrees F. Whatever quantity of grain is taken each lime for treatment, it should be much less in bulk than the water into which it is to be immersed. The grain is put into a basket or bag made from looselywoven material, so as to permit the water to pass in and out readily without the grain straining through. The grain is first put into No. 1 a minute or two, raised up and down a few times so that it may be thoroughly wet, and heated so as not to lessen the temperature of No. 2, into which it is next plunged and moved about for twelve or fifteen times, so as to be thoroughly saturated. It is very important to keep the temperature of the water in this vessel at lc2 degrees, if it sinks below add warm water, and if it rises above add cold water, never allowing it to reach higher than 135 degrees or lower than 130 degrees. The grain, after having been raised and lowered into No. 2 several times for twelve to fifteen minutes, is lifted out and cooled, either by dipping it into cold water, or by pouring cold water upon it. Considerable smut may be removed before treating with hot water by placing the grain in a vessel of cold water and stirring it about for thirty minutes. The smutty grains will float to the top, and may be skimmed off. In the prevention of smut by the use of solutions of chemical compounds, i there is always a risk of injuring the germinating power of the grain. But this method has been long followed with much success, usually'more in the case of wheat smut (bunt) than that upon oats (loose smut). In both cases the hot water remedy ranks the most successful. There are many solutions that have been tried, but we shall refer to only two. It is generally believed that a strong solution used for a short time is better than a weak one for a longer period, especially where the seed is to be sown by a seed-drill. When grain is allowed to soak for a long time, it does not readily pass out of the drill, and hence using a stronger solution for a shorter time is preferred. The following are among the best solutions that have been tried

1. One lb copper sulphate (blue vitriol) dissolved in 3 gallons of water. Wet the grain thoroughly with this solution, and then dry it gradually, or sprinkle slacked lime upon it. 2. Three lb of copper sulphate dissolved in 5 gallons of water. Wet the grain thoroughly, and dry by sprinkling plaster or slacked lime upon it, and mix well. This quantity will be about sufficient for 15 bushels of grain. 3 One lb copper sulphate dissolved in 20 gallons of water. Allow the seed to remain in this twelve or fifteen hours, and put it in lime water for ten minutes, and then dry. 4. One lb potassium sulphide (liver of sulphur) dissolved in 10 gallons of water. Allow the grain to steep in this twelve hours, stirring it from time to tune so as to thoroughly mix ; then spread the grain so as to dry. 5. One lb potassium sulphide dissolved in 20 gallons of water. Steep the grain in this twenty-four hours.— Farm and Field .

There is nothing more annoying, or likely to lead to more confusion, than indistinct addresses. Farmers should note that it is more business-like, and that it saves time to have their names and addresses printed on their memo forms and envelopes. They can get five hundred forms printed with envelopes to match at the Mail office for 12s 6d.