FORMALIN TREATMENT FOR OAT SMUT 595 



seem first to have been discovered by Trillat in 1888. In 1895 

 Gruther published a paper stating that formalin was capable 

 of destroying the germination of smut spores without injury 

 to the grain. 



The first use of formalin in the United States is credited to 

 Professor Bolley of the North Dakota Station. After three 

 years of investigational work the author made his first publica- 

 tion in March, 1897. During the same year Professor C. P. 



Close of the New York Station published the results of that 

 season's experiments in Bulletin 131, 1897. During the next 

 year Professor M. B. Thomas of the Indiana Station read a 

 paper before the American Academy of Science regarding ex- 

 periments with formalin. In this paper the author considers 

 the effect of formalin on the germination of seed oats, and sug- 

 gests that it might be well to try this substance upon the spores 

 ci smut as a possible prevention. 



Arthur (1) in 1891 in his publication on loose smut of oats 

 mentions the use of formalin. In this article the author states 

 that various men have studied the action of this solution on 

 seeds and spores but only in a subsidiary way. Its first applica- 

 tion for the control of smut in a practical w r ay is credited to 

 Bolley. In the earlier publications of Bolley the w T riter failed 

 to find any mention of the use of formalin. In his publication 

 (6 b ) on the treatment on wheat smut (1895) he mentions only 

 the use of hot water, and copper sulphate, which had been in 

 use for many years prior to that time. However, in a later pub- 

 lication (6°), of 1897, he mentions the use of corrosive sublimate, 

 sulphur dioxide, hot water, and formalin, and their effect upon 

 the germination of wheat, oats, and barley. These experiments 

 are quite extensive and are tabulated to show the effect of the 

 treatment on the per cent of germination, the per cent of smut 

 and the yield. The data are worthy of the attention of any 

 investigator along similar lines of work. As a conclusion of his 

 work Bolley sets forth the following treatment: "Thoroughly 

 saturate a large pile of the grain with a solution made at the 

 rate of one pound of formalin to 50 gallons of water. Shove] 

 over rapidly so that the pile shall become evenly and thor- 

 oughly wet. Iu this treatment the grain should be Lefl wet in 

 the pile for two or more hours, or else dipped for two hours." 

 The author also mentions the practical use of the solution and 



