Take-all and White-heads in Wheat. 423 



plant; whereas working- the land only when wet prevents this. 

 Rolling" after sowing would also tend to consolidate those loose lands 

 which are perhaps more subject than others to take-all, and 

 feeding off the crop with sheep, where sufficient growth takes 

 place, would produce a hardier and more resistant plant. 



This suggests another method of dealing with the fungus. It has 

 been found in other countries that some varieties are more susceptible 

 to the disease than others, and farmers should be on the alert to 

 select any that have this resisting power. Early varieties are said to 

 be the most susceptible, probably because they are more certain of 

 being infected by the germinating spores, and red wheats such as 

 Chidham and Essex were found in France to be resistant. Here 

 again, however, European experience is not likely to benefit us 

 much, since red wheats are practically useless here, and late wheats 

 of little value ; but among our own Australian wheats we may find 

 some more resistant than others. 



Summary- 



1. The diseases of wheat popularly known as take-all and white- 

 heads or dead-heads, in Australia, are different stages of one and the 

 same disease, and are caused by the fungus scientifically known as 

 Ophioholus graminis, Sacc. 



2. The same disease occurs in Europe and elsewhere under various 

 names — Straw Blight in Britain, Foot-rot or Black-leg in France, and 

 in Germany the appropriate name of Wheat-stem-killer is applied 

 to the fungus. 



3. It has been known in South Australia as far back as 1852, and 

 was firstly definitely determined as a cause of disease in France, in 

 1878, although its effects had been observed 25 or 30 years before 

 that. In Britain it specially attracted scientific attention about 1884, 

 and was then well-known to farmers, and particularly noted as injurious 

 in Germany in 1894. 



4. It exists in the soil, and attacks the roots of the wheat-plant, 

 causing it to die either in its early stages (Take-all), or after producing 

 its ears usually without the development of grain (White-heads). 



5. In dry seasons and in certain periods of the year, only the 

 vegetative portion of the fungus may be found, hence the long time 

 the disease has been with us without a recognition of its true nature. 



6. The fungus has also been found on species of Agrojpyron in 

 Italy, but the native grass or grasses on which it harbours here are 

 not yet known. 



7. Of the various means tried to overcome or counteract it, the 

 best results hitherto have been obtained in Europe, from the applica- 

 tion of Thomas phosphate to the soil, and subsequent rolling; and 

 in New South Wales, Mr. Farrer reports success with 70 lbs. sulphate 

 of iron per acre, applied to the patches. In Victoria, however, Dr. 

 Howell does not consider that Thomas phosphate produced any 

 preventative effect. 



