THE USE OF FORMALIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11805, 16 September 1916, Page 6

THE USE OF FORMALIN.

A farmer in Argyllshire, Scotland, having for some years had his cat crop badlv affected with "smut, 5 last sprmg carried out some experiment with the prescribed methods of preven> ing the malady. The seed under treatment had been threshed from a crop grown on the farm the previous year and badly affected with ,; smut." Four methods of treatment were adopted, but only one method, namelv, treatment with formalin. proved effectual. The formalm treatment was as follows Half-pint formalin in 18 gallons of water to 10 bushels of oats. the liquid was sprinkled with a watering can over the seed, the grain being frequently turned. The cost was 3d per bushel, or 4£d per acre. The formalin had :n> injurious effect on the germination, as a sample drawn before sowing and tested at the West of Scotland Agricultural College gave a germination percentage of 100. The experimental plots consisted one acre each alongside each other, and in another field two and a half aiere% each. The fields were practically level, the soil naturally dry and of a uniform nature. Owing to the very dry summer the crop was below the average. The double plots were carefully watched throughout summer, and thorough!,? examined before harvest by the experimenter and a party of farmera. Their verdict was:— Untreated. —Very badly affected with " smut." Formalin treated.—Au absolute cum. On both plots in the different fields the experimenter challenged the visiting parties to get a single plant affected with •' smut,' and they failed to do 80. After threshing, samples of the oats from both plots were submitted to gram merchant* in Glasgow' ard who were asked to quote price of oats in bulk consistent with _ each snmpb\ ant' the prices gave a of £2 S# Id in favour of formalin treatment. Apart from the heavier weight per bu»h"l there was a mnrked appearance U-, favour of the outs under the fonnslir treatment, the gmu; being of * ver;* ( , ve „ ciase. Tfvi< am! ihe colour j'ovonrablv comment on by the craiumerelumK who h> r:rh : nHarw offer-! a higher P~i<v mm- oats. pj-i,.,. put en Hie straw was tW» in both" but a cursory e«. njvinatiou rc-r->nled- the presence or «-h« <>^ nVi iix '-tnlks. which in most rti*»s oniv it. vvquancrs grown, shorin« clearI'* 1 '*- that, when once tUft ' ; &mni, its presence t'<* o-iowth oi the Straw had suffered; hence the hcr'-k-r weight of straw £er acre b fa-<~- J r of tha formalin treatment- Tlv ;:G is thus in the valu* of th" cron—and straw—a sum of £2 8s Id iier , "'-'''re in favour of the foi*» maliu*trc a , which attaint by the oV PCtt(l<^ un , c f per acre, pltt* tii" b>b'." r "Evolved in treating; 1 j 4 » , seed, v.'h M ?us not great.