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Corn Smut. 



967 Sir, — What is the cause, and what 

 the cure for Smut in Corn. 



A SCESCRIBER. 



Hepfy by Prof. T. A Patterson, O.A.C. 

 Guelph. 



Corn Smut {UstUago mayadis) is a 

 disease of corn, the remedies for which 

 must be largely of a preventive nature. 

 Professor Kellerman states that the 

 mode of infection if not thoroughly 

 understood at present and therefore we 

 cannot be sure of the most rational 

 remedy. The fact, however, that smut 

 thrown or left upon the ground produces 

 the disease in succeeding crops, and the 

 apparent probability that infection may 

 be brought about by the distribution of 

 the spores, or sporidia, indicate (i) that 

 rotation of crops should be practiced, 

 and (2) that as much of the smut as 

 possible should be destroyed before it 

 comes to maturity. The smut balls 

 should be collected and burned before 

 the membrane covering them bursts, 

 and thus prevent the spores from escap- 

 ing. Do not feed smutted corn to cattle 

 as the spores will be distributed in the 

 manure. The best remedy is to adopt 

 a system of rotation. By planting corn 

 in different ground each year, and sow- 

 ing unaffected seed the losses from smut 

 will not be appreciable. 



How to Grow Sage. 



(See Question No. ^58.) 

 I have been growing herbs for the last 

 ten years for the retailers, and have 

 found no difficulty in growing sage. I 

 simply set up ridges 30 inches apart, 

 rake the ridge down flat. This will 

 remove stones, sticks, or any matter 

 that is on the ridge that would impede 

 the drill. Use Mather's hand seed 

 drill, and sow at the gage. For sage 

 keep free from weeds. With new seed 

 a crop is certain. 



N. B. — Have several hundred dozen 

 of herbs for sale. 



Wm. Spendlow. 

 Billing's Bridge, Out. 



The Worden Grape. 



96§. Sir, — Will you please inform me 

 through The Canadian Horticulturist what 

 year the Worden grape was sent out by the 

 F. G. A. I think it is as much as fifteen 

 years ago. I have one sent me Ijy the Asso- 

 ciation, and I believe this grape to be the 

 king of all grapes for this section of country. 

 I have only the one vine, and it has never 

 failed any year to produce a large crop of 

 grapes. It has been growing side l>y side 

 with the Concord, and the \\'orden gives me 

 about as much grapes in one year as the Con- 

 cord does in four. The Concord fails here in 

 some years to get ripe, but the Worden never 

 fails to get ripe ; it ripens its fruit two or 

 three weeks earlier than Concord. The vine 

 is very heavily loaded with fruit this year, 

 and there are some bunches ripe now at tliis 

 date. It starts late in the spring and escapes 

 late frost. I let it down on the ground in the 

 fall, and turn some brush on it to catch the 

 snow ; this is about all the winter protection 

 it gets. I have one vine of the Niagara, it is 

 just commencing to bear, it is well loaded this 

 year, I think it will be a success here. 



A. Bridge, Wtsl Brool: 



Grape Jam. — Separate the skin from 

 the pulp of the grape, putting them in 

 different dishes, then put the pulps in the 

 preserving kettle with a teacupful of 

 water, and when hot run them through 

 a colander to separate the seeds, add 



the skins to the pulp and weigh, allow- 

 ing three-quarters of a pound of sugar 

 to each pound of fruit, and just suffi- 

 cient water to keep them from burning. 

 Cook slowly for three-quarters of an 

 hour and bottle. 



390 



