^6 ]our]ial of Agriailtitrc. ]8 Jan., 190S. 



Fairy are given in which the three substances — bluestone, corrosive sub- 

 limate, and formalin — were tried. The seed-wheat was sown in strips 

 with the ordinary farm-drill as in the present exoeriment and when the 

 crop was fully ripe it was found that there were 91 per cent, of smutty 

 ears in the untreated plot, and ^^t, i, and ^-^ per cent, in the plots 

 treated respectively with bluestone, corrosive sublimate and formalin. 

 Bluestone was useu at the rate of i lb. to 5 gallons of water, corrosive 

 sublimate at the rate of i lb. to 100 gallons and formalin at the rate of 

 I lb. to 100 gallons; although in regard to the latter it was afterwards 

 found that the efificiency was increased by using a stronger solution, such as 

 1 lb. of Schering's formalin in 40 gallons of water. 



We are now in a position to compare the relative effects of fungusine, 

 bluestone, formalin and corrosive sublimate, when used as a dressing for 

 bunt-infected seed and it will be necessary for purposes of comparison to 

 fix the numerical relation between the effect of treatment with a particular 

 substance and that of untreated seed. Thus in the case of Fungusine, 

 there was 81 per cent, of bunt in the check plot and 7.8 per cent, in the 

 treated plot, so that if the one is divided by the other it gives the numerical 

 relation between the two and fixes a standard of comparison f.L — 10.4 

 and this number represents the factor or co-eificient of efficiency for Fun- 

 gusine. If the other treatments are dealt Avith in the same way then the 

 following Table is the result : — 



Co-KFI-ICIiCNTS OF E I'FK'I EXt'V. 



Bhiestone ... ... ... 1104 



Corrosive sublimate... ... .. 66<i 



Formalin (lib. to 100 gallons) ... 333 



Fungusine ... ... ... 10 "4 



According to this Table, bluestone is over 100 times more effective than 

 Fungusine in the prevention of Bunt and even formalin when used at less 

 than half its usual strength is over 30 times more effective. 



Looking at it from the simplest point of view as that of a smut 

 preventive, Fungusine is neither efficacious enough for the ordinary 

 demanas of the farmer and miller, nor is it superior but rather far inferior 

 to both bluestone and formalin. 



The following is an analysis of Fungusine bv Mr. W. Percy Wilkinson, 

 Acting Chemist for Agriculture : — 



Per cent. 



Iron and Alumina oxide ... 1.84 



Calcium oxide ... ... ... 46.52 



Magnesium oxide ... ... ... 6 43 



Sulphuric anhydride ... ... 2.58 



Carbonic anhydride ... .. ... 5.96 



Phosphoric anhydride ... ... Trace 



Silica ... ... ... ... 16.78 



Arsenious anhydride ... ... ... 5 03 



Phenol ... ... ... 2.62 



Tar oil ... ... ... ... .57 



Moisture... ... ... ... 11.67 



100 00 



The substance consists principally of ordinary burnt lime, while arsenic and 

 • crude phenyl. 



