272 JoKnial of AgriciilturL . \"ictoria. [10 May, 1912. 



recommended ; hut the results of experimental work at present tend to show 

 that the benefit obtained is not commensurate with the extra labour involved. 



ForwaUn has been know^n for manv years to be an effective fungicide 

 and is now widely used for pickling wheat. It is a solution of formaldehyd 

 gas in water, and the usual concentration of the commercial article is 

 37-38 per cent. 



It is a cheap fungicide, efficient in pre\enting smut, but it apparently 

 has little power to prevent reinfection. -Bluestone, however, is highly 

 efficient, both in destroying spores adhering to the seed, and also in pre- 

 venting further reinfection by fresh spores falling on the seed after it has 

 been pickled. 



It follows, therefore, that in pickling with formalin more care must 

 be taken with bunt balls than when pickling with bluestone. 



Formalin is generallv considered to have a depressing influence on the 

 germination, and the effect depends on the length of time the seed has been 

 pickled before sowing, the nature of the .seed bed, and the concentration of 

 the solution used, I may remark, however, that at the Parafield Experi- 

 mental Farm a packet of Federation seed, which was immersed in a 1/400 

 solution of formalin for five minutes, on ist April, 1909, gave a germi- 

 nation of 89 per cent, when planted on 25th May, 1910 — nearly 14 months 

 later. 



The .strength usually recommended is i in 400, i.e., i lb. of formalin 

 to 40 gallons of water. It is not desirable, nor is it necessary, to- use 

 stronger .solutions than this. Indeed, unless the seed is smutty, it may 

 even be advisable to use a weaker solution than this, and for general pur- 

 poses I lb. to 45 gallons, or i lb. to 50 gallons, i.e., i in 450, or i in 500, 

 may be recommended. 



Fungusine is a proprietary preparation, which has been used as a 

 fungicide for the prevention of smut, but considerable difference of opinion 

 exists as to its merits. 



There seems to be little doubt that fungusine does not have that 

 deleterious effect on the germination of the grain which has been noted 

 with formalin and bluestone. Indeed, in nearly all cases in which it has 

 been tried, the germination has for some reason or other been materially 

 stimulated by the pickling. Were it absolutely effective as a fungicide, 

 and proved itself capable of preventing reinfection, there would be no 

 question as to its value as a pickle. Before one can come to a conclusion 

 in this matter, it is necessary to test it o\er a period of years, in a sys- 

 tematic manner, side by side with standard fungicides. 



Until such experiments have been conducted it is not safe to indulge in 

 hasty generalizations. It is interesting to note, however, that in\'estigation.'; 

 have been conducted at the Cowra Experimental Farm. New South Wales, 

 with these \arious fungicides for the past two years. The results are given 

 in the Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales (April, 191 1). The 

 following table has been extracted from the results to illustrate the point 

 at issue : — 



1. Bluestone 2% 



2. Formalin 1/400 



3. Fungusine 



(1) Efficiency of the 



Fungicide. 



Buntv plants. 



(Average 1909-10.) 



1-4 

 9-6 

 3-4 



Note. — In all tliesp tests tlie seed was purposely infected until it was literally black with smut. 

 Itwas thus infinitelv dirtier than seed sown under ordinary farming conditions. 



