200 



The known occurrence of this disease, as shown on Map 27. indicates 

 a fairly wide-spread distribution in northern Illinois. 



Many other grains and grasses are susceptible to ergot attack. Cut- 

 ting them about flowering time prevents the spread of the disease : and 

 infected seed may be cleaned of it by floating out the ergot grains in a 

 20 per cent salt solution. 



Scab 



Caused by GihbcrcUa saiibiiictii (Mont.) Sacc. 



Scab on rye has the same appearance as scab on wheat. It is not 

 known to be especially prevalent. A trace of infection was reported in 

 a 5-acre field in Christian county in 1923 — the only definite record of 

 occurrence in Illinois. Control measures for this disease on rye are the 

 same as those recommended for wheat scab. (See p. 187.) 



Leaf Smut 

 Caused by Urocystis occulta (W'allr.) Rab. 



Leaf snuit of rye is very similar in appearance and in its efl:'ect upon 

 the plant, to the flag smut of wheat, and the fungi which cause the two 

 diseases are much alike. 



Leaf smut attacks the leaves, forming long black stripes. As the 

 leaf dies, the black stripes break open, shredding the leaves and letting 

 loose large quantities of smut powder, the grains of which are the spores 

 by which infection is spread. 



The earliest definite records of occurrence are two collections made 

 in Lake county in 1918 by J. L. Smith and by L. W. Almy. The known 

 occurrence of leaf smut, shown on Map 28. includes 5 widely separated 

 counties. 



The presence of this disease in any quantity is certain to result in 

 serious losses. Fortunately the amount of infection in Illinois is small, 

 and except in isolated cases only slight losses occur. In individual 

 fields, however, serious infections sometimes occur which result in large 

 crop-reductions. The control measures recommended for flag smut of 

 wheat will prove effective for this disease. (See p. 18(5.) 



Barley 



Least important of the cereals grown in Illinois is barley, yet be- 

 tween 170,000 and 1!)0,000 acres arc grown each year from which are 

 harvested about five million bushels, valued in 1922 at over three mil- 

 lion dollars. The distribution of the acreage is shown on Map 2!>. from 

 which it is apjiarent that intensive production of this crop is. limited 

 to the northern quarter of the state. .-Mthough nearly every county 

 grows some barley, more than 90 per cent of the acreage lies in this sec- 



