296 Eeport of the Horticulturist of the 



temperature for a given time, many have the idea that the opera- 

 tion is too complicated, therefore the remedy has not come into 

 general use. 



Soaking or sprinkling the seed with some solution may be 

 considered a simpler process, and should it prove to be equally 

 as effective, would probably become popular more rapidly than 

 the hot-water treatment. Prof. Jensen has lately been advo- 

 cating a remedy, Ceres powder, to be used in this way. This 

 substance is reported as giving excellent results in some parts 

 of Europe, and has received favorable mention in this country 

 by Kellerman.* A bureau has been opened in Chicago to ad- 

 vertise Ceres powder and push its sale. Since this remedy is 

 thus being brought to public notice in this country it was de- 

 cided to test it here and to compare it with other remedies for 

 oat smut. The other remedies which were tried were hot water, 

 formalin, potassium sulphide and lysol. 



So far as known to the writer, lysol has not before been used 

 as a preventive of smmt. In these experiments, as will be shown 

 later, it has given excellent results. Formalinf and potassium 

 sulphidef have been tried before with varying success, according 

 to the strengths used. 



In order to give the different remedies a thorough test, some 

 of the treatments which were tried on the Station farm 

 were duplicated on larger areas under different environment 

 in another part of the State. The details of the work will ac- 

 cordingly be considered under two heads: (1) Experiments at the 

 Station and (2) experiments at Trumansburg. 



e:^periments at the station. 



A piece of ground that would give conditions as nearly uni- 

 form as possible was selected for this purpose. This was divided 

 into plats twenty feet long, each of which contained three rows, 

 one foot of space between the rows and one and one-half feet 



•Report of Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science, 1S96; p. 61. 



tBolley, H. L., N. Dak. Exp. Sta. Bui. No. 27, Kellerman, W. A., Proceedings of the 

 Boclcty for the Promotion of Agricultural Science, 1896; Kellerman, W. A., Kan. Exp. 

 Sta. Bui. No. 22; Wheeler, C. F., Mich. Institute Bui. No. 3; Year Book U. S. Dept. 

 Agr., 1896, p. 259. 



