194 
In addition to the data obtained from the test fields further reports 
on the prevalence of oat smut were received from seven counties as shown 
in the next table. The figures submitted in these reports were secured by 
the county agricultural agents and other men who made, in most Cases, 
careful observations and counts of oat smut in their respective counties. 
TABLE 2. 
AVERAGE PERCENTAGE OF SMUT FOUND IN THE OAT CROP OF 1914 IN SEVEN 
COUNTIES. 
County. Reported by. Average Per Cent. of Smut. 
Randolph. . SW MGeAS Mahan’ * Berth, cite. 15 
Whitley. . 5) WaG bitte: 01 
Montgomery ..| R. A. Chitty : : a 15 
Starke...... ..| H. R. Smalley : ‘ 7 10 
Lake... eal he av Cherie Nester. ; ry. 20 
Gibson. yo Pelee uke ne 10 
Jefferson G. Culbeertson st 15 
Average oe ete ame : ae 13.5 
As shown in the table the average per cent. of smut reported from 
the seven counties corresponds closely with the average figures from the 
counties mentioned in Table 1. Leaving out the report from Laporte 
County, which can not be considered representative owing to the high per 
cent. of smut obtained in the single test, the grand average for the counties 
under consideration is practically 15 per cent. This no doubt is a fairly 
accurate figure representing the loss from oat smut in the State. It 
corresponds closely with the estimate of Dr. Arthur who placed the loss 
in the State, figured from general observations, from eight to twelve per 
cent. 
According to the crop statistics, compiled by the United States De- 
partment of Agriculture, Indiana devotes annually about 1,755,000 acres 
(average of 1909 to 1913 seasons) to the production of oats. The average 
yield for the State has been about thirty bushels per acre. It may be 
considered, therefore, that the average annual production of oats in In- 
diana is, in round figures, about 52,000,000 bushels. Considering that smut 
destroys about thirteen per cent. of the crop the above yield represents 
