252 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



4-5 EDWARD VII., A. 1905 



DIYISIOK OF BOTAj^Y. 



THE BUSTS OF GRAIN CROPS. 



The losses from the attacks of different kinds of rusts on the cereal crops of the 

 Dominion during 1904, were considerable, and have been reported from every part of 

 the Dominion. In Manitoba and the jSTorth-west Territories rust on grain is very 

 seldom heard of; but during the past autumn just about the time the grain was ripen- 

 ing the climati-c conditions were such that rust developed to an alarming extent. The 

 parasites which cause this disease are always present to a certain degree on grain 

 crops as well as on several kinds of the wild prairie grasses, and this year they spread 

 on the grain crops and were the cause in some places of great loss to farmers. There 

 was so much interest created among settlers in the West that I was requested to pre- 

 pare an article upon the subject for the Montreal Family Herald and Weehly Star, 

 which was published in the issue of November 30 last. As it is of general interest 

 and a great many inquiries have been made for a popular des-cription of the disease 

 and its cause, I reproduce the article herewith. 



THE RUST OF WHEAT. 



The subject of the rusts of grain crops is of special interest just now, owing to 

 the unusual epidemic of these destructive parasites in the large wheat fields of parts 

 of Manitoba and the eastern North-west Territories during the past season. 



The loss from this cause was undoubtedly considerable; but there was no such 

 wholesale or widespread destruction of the wheat crop in the prairie provinces, as was 

 described in some United States and English newspapers. I have had opportunities 

 of examining samples of rusted straw from many localities, which have been kindly 

 sent in by Mr. David Horn, Chief Inspector of Grain, at Winnipeg, by the agricul- 

 tural papers and by several correspondents. As a report on the whole of these samples, 

 it may be said that, although some were seriously affected by rust, not one of them 

 was as badly rusted as crops are frequently found to be in eastern Canada, which are 

 nevertheless thought to be worth cutting for grain. 



In passing through the Territories and Manitoba in the second week of August, 

 although the crop was rather late and green, I saw no appearance of rust, nor did I 

 hear any complaints of its occurrence at that time. The first reports were received 

 about the 20th August. Early in September several items in the newspapers showed 

 that there was much anxiety as to the extent of the loss which might occur. The 

 localities where most harm was done, were in the Red River valley, in south-western 

 Manitoba and in eastern Assiniboia. In the Regina district a few crops are said to 

 have been so badly rusted that they were burned. The rust in these fields appears to 

 have been noticed on the leaves and heads about the middle of August. On the 18th 

 of that month there was a hailstorm, a-ccompanied by rain; and immediately after- 

 wards the rust spread rapidly. 



In Manitoba, for fear of further injury, some crops of wheat were cut too green to 

 be of use for grain, or were made into hay. Under the circumstances, and, as the sea- 

 son turned out, this was a wise course ; for it has been found by Mr. Shutt, the Chemist 

 of the Experimental Farms, that straw attacked by rust makes far better feed for stock 

 even than clean straw, because the presence of the parasite causes the retention in the 

 straw of the nutritious principles which after the seeds are formed are transferred 

 from the straw into the grain. 



