278 



The latter germination is probably accidental, owing to the fact that 

 the half-hour treatment in the .18 per cent, solution showed no germina- 

 tion. Treatment in the .5 per cent, solution proved effective in all cases. 



In order to note the action of the formalin upon the smut after their 

 removal from the solution, cultures were made of the spores at different 

 periods after their removal, varying from a quarter to one and a half 

 hours. The data obtained, which is presented in Table II, shows con- 

 clusively that the formalin proved effective in the quarter-hour treatments 

 if given sufficient time to act upon the spores before moimting them in the 

 liquid media. Spores treated a quarter hour in the weakest solution and 

 mounted one hour after showed no germination. 



TABLE II. 



Qerminafion of Spores Treated 1/4 Hour in Formalin Solution, Mounted Some Time 



After. 



In the quarter per cent, solution the treatment was effective if the 

 spores were not mounted for three-quarters of an hour after their re- 

 moval from the formalin. It would appear, therefore, that under ordi- 

 nary conditions of farm practice in which the seed is allowed to dry before 

 being planted, treatment with either strength of solution should prove 

 effective. In actual practice, however, such a treatment does not pi'ove 

 effective. This has been amply demonstrated by some experiments which 

 were reported by Dr. Arthur in the Thirteenth Annual Report of the Indi- 

 ana Experiment Station, p. 21, .lanuary, 1901, in which seed treated a half 

 hour in a .4.5 per cent", solution of formalin at an average temperature of 



