300 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



lu early experiments some injections were made with ground mycel- 

 ium which had been preserved by the presence of phenol in 1% dilu- 

 tion. Although less than 14 cc. of the 1% solution was injected in 300 

 gram guinea pigs marked results M'cre obtained after two minutes wliicJi 

 greatly resembled anaphylactic reactions. There is a possibility that 

 phenol or other disinfectant poisoning has been a factor in many experi- 

 ments, since it is common practice to preserve antigens in some such 

 manner. 



Til is project on which a good start has been made will require consid- 

 erable time for completion. 



HATCH FUND PROJECTS. 



Plant Disease Purvey: 



The work under the Hatch fund has continued along the same lines 

 as in previous years. The plant disease survey of the state has been con- 

 tinued. In making this survey the extensive correspondence of the de- 

 partment already referred to was found to be an invaluable adjunct. 



The work of the plant disease survey has been further carried on by 

 means of questionnaire letters and by field trips to various parts of the 

 state. The tabulated results of this survey have been forwarded to the 

 Bureau of Plant Industry at Washington. Some of the interesting ob- 

 servations and reports of new diseases are briefly mentioned in a sup- 

 plementary article in this report. (Supplement 3.) 



Cereal Smuts: 



Preliminary to the extension project on smuts outlined at the begin- 

 ning of this report certain work was undertaken to test the efficiency of 

 various formaldehyde treatments. 



Our attention had been called by Dr. M. F. Barrus of Cornell Univer- 

 sity to the new method of treating grains for smut which has been de- 

 veloped by Mr. R. J. Haskell of his department. In this treatment the 

 grain is spread in a long pile and sprayed with concentrated formalde- 

 hyde at the rate of one pint to 50 bushels of grain as it is shoveled over. 

 For spraying a small pint or quart atomizer is used. The grain is then 

 covered. After four hours, the grain is spread and aired. The treat- 

 ment is applicable to all grains but for use with wheat the grain must 

 first be thoroughly fanned. 



It will be seen that this method presents great advantages because it 

 eliminates the wetting of the grain which has hitherto been considered 

 essential to effective action of formaldehyde. 



The following tests of the method were made: Viable spores of oat 

 smut were dusted on a couple of quarts of ordinary oats such as would 

 be used for planting. These were then sprayed with concentrated for- 

 maldehyde at the rate of % of a c. c. to a quart of grain, (approxi- 

 mately 1 pint to 50 bushels.) The grain was stirred throughout the 

 treatment. The accompanying table indicates the length of time the 

 formaldehyde was allowed to act, and other conditions imposed in the 

 experiment. The spores were washed from the grain and throAvn down 

 with the centrifuge. They were then tested in Van Tieghem rings for 

 germination. 



