338 



TWENTY-FIUST REPOKO'. 



pomiuon. (li) The volunteer rye, beiiijj; early, probably bios.somed durinj; 

 more favorable weather eoiiditions for infection by the spores. (3) The rye 

 being in blossom before the wheat attracted a host of insects, this leading to 

 heavy infection, due to transference of the Sphacelia stage of the fungus. It 

 would seem that all of these factors are concerned with the high infestation. 



An examination of the reports shows that the percentage of ergot in 1918 

 is less than that of 1917. During that year (1917) farmers showed much con- 

 cern over this disease, and grain in the markets was docked for ergot infesta- 

 tion. It was then predicted (1, p. 432) that drought at heading time could 

 effectively check the ergot, and such evidently has happened. We can then, 

 as a result of the close observation of these two years, and the general observa- 

 tions of a number of years point out that the amount of rye ergot is closely 

 connected with weather relations, and the disease increases progressively 

 when favorable seasons come in succession. A favorable season is one in which 

 rainy weather prevails during blossoming time, and shortly thereafter. 

 Drought at this time can effectively prevent infection and counteract the 

 effect of heavy infestation of seed. 



Wheat Diseases : Michigan wheat fields were visited and studies made of 

 various plant diseases doing damage. It is noteworthy that stinking smut 

 was found in a great majority of the fields and in many cases in very high 

 percentage. Treatment was successful in all but one case encountered in pre- 

 venting loss from stinking smut. Damage to stand was reported in one or 

 two places where errors in treatment had been made. The following table 

 (Table 7) shows the results of the survey: 



TABLE No. 7 

 Survey of Wheat Diseases 



•No seed treatment is given for Loose Smut or Scab. 



The average per cent of stinking smut is lower than has commonly been 

 estimated, since 5 and 10% has usually been suggested as the percentage 

 occurring in Michigan fields. The figures given contain many reports on 

 Spring Wheat which were visited too early to get the full stinking smut 

 record. It is believed that the amount of stinking smut in Michigan fields is 



