] ounial of Agriculture 



[lo June, 1909. 



Taulk D. — Tkst ok Wheats (Flokenck an'd Genoa) a.s Blnt-rlsisters. 



Troatnu'iit of Seed sown ITtli .luiie. T.IOS. 



Infectinii. 



Pickliii';. 



1 : Florence : Dusted with Jfy Not pickled 

 spore.s 

 Mixed with wet Not pickled 



spores 

 Infected ... ' Bluestoiie, 1 11). to 



4 gals, water 

 Infected ... Formalin, 1 lb. to 



40 gals water 

 Dusted with dry Not pickled 



spores 

 Mi.xed witii Met \ Not jnekled 



spores 

 Infected ... Bhiestone, 1 lb. to 



4 gals, water 

 Infected ... Formalin. I lb. to 



40 gals, water 



ft. OJ2 



3.03 

 .-).72 

 2.70 

 Free 

 2.01 

 9.41 

 Free 

 l?ree 



Note —Plots No, 1 and No. 5, 200 seeds sown in each. Plots No. 2 and No. (i, .300 

 .seeds sewn in each. Plots Nos. 3, 4. 7, and 8, 80 seeds sown in each. It will be noticed 

 that the grain dusted with dry .^jiores of buut 2»'('<-iiced fewer bunted plants than the 

 grain infected with wet spores. 



Tests with Various Fungicides on Bunt-infected Grain. 

 The wheats Wallace, Comeback, and Kubanka, were selected to test 

 the comparative value of the fungicides enumerated in Table A. The 

 dry-infected grain was simply dusted with the spores of bunt; whilst, in 

 the wet infection, the seed was allowed to stand over night in a mixture 

 of bunt spores and water. The comparative results, while inconclusive, 

 emphasise the efficacv of fungicides. It may be remarked that the 

 infection was very severe compared with that under ordinary conditions. 

 The highly poisonous corrosive sublimate appears to have given the best 

 results la.st season, as regards both freedom from bunt and the per- 

 centage of germination after pickling. 



Notes on the Germination of Grain. 



The germination of grain was remarkably _irregular this season, both 

 in the plots and in the tields. In some instances it was specially notice- 

 able. This irregularitv mav be due to the effects of the recent drought 

 on the ripening grain, or to the climatic and other conditions at seeding. 

 The splendid season sub.sequently experienced seemed, however, to ha\"e 

 made up for much of the deficiency, and those wheats which appeared 

 to be rather thinly sown tillered well, and each stalk bore a well-filled 

 ear. In such instances the returns were much beyond expectations. 



This season the percentage of germination of wheats treated Avith 

 bluestone or copper sulphate solution, compared w;th that of wheat 

 treated with formalin, was as 66.03 per cent, to 86.63 P^r ^^"t. The 

 seed treated with formalin had the advantage to a considerable degree. 

 With wheat pickled in a .strong .solution of bluestone, not only was the 

 germination very bad. but the growth in the early part of the season was 

 very poor. 



