STEEPING GRAIN BEFORE SOWING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 14

STEEPING GRAIN BEFORE SOWING.

Great Britain's import needs amount to about 27 million quarters annually. Of that amount Canada can supply a surplus of from seven to 10 million quarters ; Australia is good for an average amount of from four to four and a-half millions ; while India can also contribute another four millions. The limit of production seems to have been reached in the older producing countries, and -their own requirements are rapidly increasing. in Russia's semi-disorganised slate she cannot be expected to do very much. The United States in seven or eight years will have altogether ceased to ship wheat, as she has ceased to export mutton and lamb. Canada seems to have wheat-grow-ing land enough to supply the world, but her output will be limited by labour considerations. There therefore seems to be every indication that prices will remain at a" profitable level for some years, and anything which closely affects the quantity produced is therefore worthy of the most exhaustive research. From a utilitarian point of view the smuts require attention in order to be able to prevent their ruinous effects on the wheat crop. The spores of smut were at one time thought to attach themselves to the seed, but it has now been definitely determined that the infection of wheat plants takes place in the flowering stage. The spores, according to Mr T. W. Kirk, are blown about in the wind or carried by insect agency, and those that happen to lodge in the stigma of the flower germinate im-

mediately, and pass down the ovary into the tissues of the developing seed, where a mycelium is formed which remains in a resting condition till the seed is sown. Then it commences to redevelop, and keeps pace with the growth of the host until it finally forms the well-known sooty masses of spores which occupy the place of the normally-developed seed. It is evident that if the spores themselves can be destroyed or their germination prevented, the smut itself will not anoear. And it is upon this principle that the direct treatment of smut is based. The reagents used are sulphate of copper, formalin, and hot water. The bluestone treatment consists in making a solution at the rate of lib of bluestone to sgal of water, and sprinkling it over the seed on the barn floor while turning it over until all the grains are completely wetted. If it is desired to check the corrosive action of the bluestone, which is somewhat detrimental to germination, a little air-slaked lime may be sprinkled over it, or a solution of lime water sprayed over the heap. This will be trouble'some in the drill-sower, and may be dispensed with. Formalin is a solution in water of a colourless pungent gas known as formaldehyde, and contains 36 to 40 per cent, of the gas. One pound of formalin is added to 40gal of water, and the seed is immersed for five minutes. The burstballs require removal, and the vessel used should admit of that; or the seed may be treated on the floor in the same way as with bluestone. If it remains thoroughly soaked for two hours it may be sown. In the case of oats the spores are blown about by the wind before the plants have formed their seed and find their way between the scales and ultimately round the seed. These spores are missed by sprinkling. The solution must reach the spore beneath the hull of the oat, and therefore, in the case of oats and barley, the damp, grain may be allowed to remain over night in order to allow the formalin to penetrate the husk. The hot water process consists in immersing the seed in hot water at a temperature of 132 deg to 135 deg Fahr., and then plunging it into cold water after a few minutes. Without special conveniences this method would be troublesome, and as the methods already given are simpler and equally effective, they are generally preferred.* It has been demonstrated time after time that perfectly clean seed and clean ground will produce a clean crop, and the general rule should be laid down that in every case clean seed should be used for sowing.