PREVENTION OF OAT SMUT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1266, 4 June 1896, Page 4

PREVENTION OF OAT SMUT.

The botanist of the Ohio Experiment Station lias published in Bulletin 6-1 the results of a season's experiments on the prevention of cat smut. These verify in a striking manner the claims made for the hot water or Jensen treatment of the seed to prevent the smut. This consist? in immersing the seed contained in a gunny sack or basket, with frequent stirring, in scalding water at a temperature of 133 deg Fahrenheit for about fifteen minutes, cooling with cold water and drying to tl 1 ill. The temperature of water and time of immersion may vary according to different authors, but the recommendation is for those just stated. The object of treatment is to kill smut spores and not to injure the germ of the grain. If the water is at the temperature stated, 133 deg Fahrenheit, the spores will be killed, and if the immersion is not longer than fifteen minutes the seed is not injured. The temperature must be allowed to vary but little from the 133 deg Fahrenheit, not rising higher than 135 deg Fahrenheit, nor falling below I3odeg Fahrenheit. A thermometer must be kept constantly in use and be of a carefully graded sort. The floating dairy thermometer graduated to KJOdeg will do very well and iy quite reliable, but may be mined by standing in too hot water. For treating large quantities of seeds, much hot water is needed ; this may be secured by having two large kettles, or by fixing up a threshing or other boiler and drawing water from this, or conducting steam into the water to be heated. The latter is the most satisfactory of all. Two vessels should be provided in which to dij) the grain, one with water at 120cleg to LSOdeg, the other with water maintained at 133 deg Fahrenheit. A fifty-gallon barrel with head out is very good. The size of vessel may be adapted to the particular case. The first vessel is for dipping the grain into, preparatory to immersing it in the second. Unless two are used great difficulty will be experienced in keeping the water in the immersing vessel at 133 deg Fahrenheit. The seed to be treated may be placed in a basket with a screen cover or in a gunny sack, but not enough put in if to fill it more than one-half lo two-

thirds full, ft is first dipped into the first vessel to warm the seed; after a moment it is lilted and again dipped .several times, and when thoroughly wanned up plunged directly into the second vessel, which has the water at 133 deg. Hero it is kepi, with l.fting and plunging many times (eight to ten) and with stirring of the contents to secure thorough contact of all the grain. If the temperature of the water tends to fall, more hot water is added, or steam is conducted into the vessel. If the temperature rises too high above 133 deg cold water may be added. This operation must be carefully conducted to insure success. At the end of fifteen minutes the vessel containing the seed is withdrawn, and spread at once to dry; if not spread at mice the contents are' cooled by dashing coid water on it, and then spread out to dry. Another portion is then taken and the same treatment used. The treatment may precede sowing by a few weeks.

Kliama, the Bechuaua (South Africa) chief, has lost 100/XXJ cattle by rinderpest. The English Analyist reports that butter stored for ten months under the Gillies process lias undergone no change.