Sept. 2, 1908.] Agricultural Gazette of N.S. W. 699 



Selection of Seed. — The seed should be of the very best ; it should he 

 chosen from the heaviest yielding crop on the farm. The area from which 

 the seed is to be taken should have the very best of treatment. Deterioration 

 is rapid when slipshod methods are followed. >Stud seed, or seed that has 

 been carefully selected and not allowed to suffer deterioration for many years, 

 should be used. All seed should be carefully graded t«j get rid of all second- 

 class grains and weed seeds. It is more profitable to feed the chick-wheat to 

 poultry than to sow it for crop. 



Treatment of Seed for Bmd. — Treatment of the seed is necessary to 

 combat stinking smut or bunt. Neglect in this particular may lead to a 

 rejected sample at the mill. The treatment most desired is that which 

 destroys the bunt spores without injuring the vitality of the grain. 



Formalin Treatment. — This treatment is performed by immersing the 

 grain for five minutes in a solution made by mixing 1 lb. of formalin of 

 40 per cent, strength with 400 lb. (40 gallons) of water. One bushel of wheat 

 should be placed in a clean bran bag, immersing the whole of the bag as well 

 to destroy any bunt spores adhering to it. By opening the moutli of the 

 bag, and stirring the grain under water, many bunt balls would rise to the 

 surface, and could be skimmed off together with other impurities light enough 

 to float. After Ave minutes it should be lifted on to a draining-board, allowing 

 the solution to run back into the cask. By tying the bag at the mouth the 

 bushel of grain could be spread thinly without taking out of the bag and left 

 in a draughty place to dry. It should be dry l^efore putting through the 

 drill ; also before broadcasting by hand, unless the land is sufficiently moist 

 to ensure germination. The formalin solution should not be kept longer 

 than one week. It is much wiser to use a fresh solution every time. Grain 

 so treated should be sown within a few davs of treatment otherwise the seed- 

 coat may be hardened and germination in some measure prevented. This is 

 the weak spot of the treatment. Very satisfactory results are obtained if 

 the above precautions are taken. 



Bluestone Treatment. — The ujethod of dipping is similar in every respect to 

 the above. The solution should be made by disolving 1 lb. of bluestone 

 (sulphate of copper) in from 6 to 8 gallons of water. Bluestone readily dissolves 

 if suspended in a coarse bag near the surface of the water. If of the strength 

 of 1 11). to 6 gallons the grain should only be immersed until thoroughly wetted 

 and then allowed to drain. If made with 1 lb. to 8 gallons of water, it can be 

 immersed for five minutes, and the stirring and skimming jirocess followed. 

 The thin film of bluestone adhei-ing to the grain has a caustic action upon 

 the young rootlets, and, if the soil is dry may reduce the germination by 

 50 per cent. Under moist conditions the caustic action is materially reduced. 

 In order to overcome this the grain should be dipped into lime-water after 

 dipping in the bluestone solution. It should be well drained before dipping 

 into lime-water, or otherwise the lime-water will need more frequent renewal. 

 Lime-water is made by placing 1 lb. of quicklime in 30 or 40 gallons of water. 

 The clear solution is then poured oft' the sediment, and the grain dii)ped in it. 

 It is wise to renew the solution frequently. One gallon of the above solutions 



