240 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



2 GEORGE V., A. 1912 



disease. This different response to treatment is due to the different modes of infection 

 of the plants. The whole question of smut treatment and infection will be discussed 

 in a separate bulletin to be issued after concluding our experiments on this subject. 

 In the meantime we shall of course be pleased to assist any inquirer who may wish 

 to know the methods of treatment. 



Corn Smut and Smut of German Millet occurred in various localities. 



mildew of wheat (Erysiphe Graminis, D.C.) 



This fungus made its appearance in some experimental plots on the Farm and 

 was twice reported from other localities. In spite of the leaves of the plant being 

 densely covered with the greyish mildew, the plants suffered in no perceptible manner. 

 The disease is said to be of some importance in low-lying, shady ground. An experi- 

 mentalist would hardly choose such places for his plots and the adverse conditions 

 referred to are not wide-spread on farms. 



FROSTED WHEAT. 



Complaints have been made by some farmers about unevenness in the ripening of 

 the grain. This phenomenon may be due to physical causes such as drought acting 

 locally upon undrained portions of the field, or to the mechanical or chemical condition 

 of the soil, which may vary considerably in large fields. While sometimes no injury may 

 result from frost, by cutting unevenly-ripened wheat, yet when frosty nights appear while 

 the wheat is still in the field, though already cut, a large percentage of the grain is 

 likely to be injured. It was noticed that when frosts came while the wheat was still 

 uncut, no injury resulted, the power of the living plant seeming to be sufficient to 

 prevent it. As a result of frost-injury, the grains become much shrivelled and darker 

 in colour than sound ones; the weight per bushel is less and the germination may be 

 considerably impaired. If such grain be subsequently used for seed it is only natural 

 that, owing to unevenness in germination, which hence extends over a longer period, 

 the produce of such grain will again ripen unevenly. It is evident, therefore, that 

 frosted wheat should not be sown in the first instance, but attention should also bo 

 directed to the correction of defects of drainage, or of the chemical or mechanical 

 conditions of the soil. 



In this connection, mention may be made of a curious discolouration present in 

 wheat grains received from localities far apart (Ontario and Saskatchewan). These 

 samples contained a large proportion of grains (according to our experience, 8 per 

 cent), apparently quite normally developed and plump, but the embryo exhibited signs 

 of a brownish discolouration, which in some cases extended all over that portion of 

 the body of the grain itself. The grains did not appear unlike barley grains injured 

 by the fungus, Helminthosporium, where, however, it is the opposite end that is 

 browned. Our correspondents assured us that this discolouration had been noticed 

 during the last few years quite regularly, in some cases affecting the harvest up to 

 about 20 per cent. The germination of the grain did not seem influenced, but the 

 young plants raised grew less well than those from sound seed. We wish now to 

 continue our experiments in the field. A photograph of this wheat is here reproduced, 

 (Plate 4 a, h,) showing the discolouration plainly, and any farmer who has had similar 

 trouble will greatly oblige us by relating his experience, giving us all particulars, and 

 by sending us a sample of the affected wheat. 



