270 
the head of wheat is a total loss, but the soil is usually not suspected as 
the source of the trouble. 
When grain is grown continuously on the same fields the soil tends 
to accumulate germs of this character. Such an infested soil may be 
likened to a house long used by sick people without cleaning. What is 
needed is a thorough disinfection. Unfortunately, at present we know 
no satisfactory way of disinfecting soils, and we do not even know the 
kinds and virulence of the diseases to any extent. Our chief reliance so far 
has been in crop rotation. Possibly something might be done by disin- 
fecting the seed, which is known to harbor the germs. Mr. Hoffer found, 
as reported in last year’s Proceedings of this Academy, that out of thirty- 
four varieties of wheat examined by him twenty showed germs of this 
sort, most of them being /’usarimwiu. 
The subject is a large one of the highest economic importance, and in 
very great need of study. 
Diseases Not Associated With the Soil—There is no need of specify- 
ing where work is needed in this class of troubles, the subject has been 
before the public too long. Many such diseases are now well understood 
and efficient remedies already put into use, as in the case of oat and wheat 
smut, corn smut, and some fruit rots. But there are many rusts, mildews 
and blights yet to be worked out, and their economic importance rated. 
Weeds—As a rule weeds have not been regarded with sufficient seri- 
ousness. s3ut many farmers appreciate the advantages of clean culture, 
and would like to exterminate the more pernicious kinds. There is a group 
of weeds, including especially the bindweeds, wild sweet potato, horse 
nettle and trumpet creeper, that need careful investigation as to the best 
methods for their control. [Field experiments along this line are needed. 
Horse nettle is now infesting thousands of acres of land in the southern 
and central parts of the State and is gradually gaining ground northward. 
Trumpet creeper is becoming so pestiferous on account of its heavy, 
woody roots, as to make the work of cultivating the infested lard a dif- 
fii ult and tedious task. Bindweeds and wild sweet potato are proving to 
be a bane to corn culture, especially on bottom lands. Large fields can 
ve found where nearly every corn plant is entwined by some one of these 
kinds of weeds. It is safe to say that in such cases the crop yield is re- 
duced by at least one-third. Aside from reducing the yield such weeds 
also increase the cost of field operations and harvesting and in other ways 
depreciate the value of land. 
