252 



SMUT. 



Both farmers and grain-buyers repoit that smut is largely on the increase 

 throughout the province, and that the direct loss to the farmer this year will reach 

 thousands of dollars, besides the indirect loss arising from injury to the reputation 

 of our wheats on the English markets. 



In 1890 a number of experiments with bluestone and other preparations for 

 killing smut were made and carried out successfully. Last spring these experiments 

 were repeated, but owing to a wind storm in May the test was spoilt. This was dis- 

 appointing, as additional experience on this subject would be valuable just now. 



The question being a very important one, it was thought advisable to insert in 

 this report a description of last years experiments as given in the 1890 report. 



Four adjoining plots were set apart for this purpose. Plot No. 1 was sown with 

 wheat not treated. Plot No. 2 was sown with wheat treated with bluestone — 1 lb. 

 of bluestone being dissolved in a pail of hot water, and applied to ten bushels of 

 wheat, which was then left to soak for three hours. Plot No. 3 was treated with a 

 salt bi'ine sufficiently strong to float an egg, the seed being soaked in the brine three 

 hours and then dried. Plot No. 4 was treated by the Jensen or hot-water method ; 

 the seed, placed in a gunny sack, was immersed in water heated to a temperature of 

 130 degi-ees, Fab., then removed to another boiler of water heated to 132 deg. and 

 soaked in the latter for 15 minutes. 



All were in adjoining plots and received similar treatment during growth and 

 harvesting; when ripe 200 heads were taken from each plot and examined. Plot 

 No. 1, or untreated, gave 6 per cent of smutty heads. Plot No. 4, or scalded, gave 1 

 pe.- cent of smutty heads, while none of the 200 heads from the plots Nos. 2 and 3, 

 (the bluestoned and salted) were smutty. 



After threshing, the grain was again examined, and the bluestoned gave two 

 smut balls to the thousand grains of wheat, the salted gave three and the scalded 

 five, while the untreated gave 29. 



These results Avould point to the conclusion that none of these methods can be 

 depended upon to completely destroy the spores in badly smutted seed, but the blue- 

 stone treatment was one of the most successful ; its application requires the least 

 labour and leaves the seed in the best condition for sowing. Below will be found the 

 yield and other particulars of this experiment. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH OATS. 



The past season has been an exceptionally good one for oats, the yield throughout 

 the province being much heavier than usual, but the weight per bushel is every 

 where under the average; this is no doubt owing to the excessive and soft growth 

 made during June and July. Thei-e was also much rust on oats grown on strong 

 land, no doubt from the same cause, coupled with cloudy weather in July. 



