160 THE BOOK OJ 1 WHEAT 



CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE (Mercuric Chloride, Hg CF.) This 

 may be used at the rate of 1 Ib. to 50 gallons of water (2 l / 2 

 parts to 1,000). The wheat is piled upon a floor or canvas, and 

 constantly shoveled while it is being sprayed or sprinkled, until 

 every grain is wet over its entire surface. The use of more 

 of the solution than is necessary to do this is injurious. The 

 seed should then be dried. 



COPPER SULPHATE (Cu SO*). One pound of crystallized (not 

 powdered) commercial copper sulphate or bluestone is used to 

 every 25 gallons of water. The grain is soaked 12 hours in 

 this solution, being stirred occasionally. Then, to avoid in- 

 juring the power of germination, it is immersed for a few 

 minutes in limewater made by adding ten gallons of water to 

 one pound of good slaked lime. 



FORMALIN. One pound of formalin (the trade name for a 

 40 per cent solution of formaldehyde) is diluted with 50 gal- 

 lons of water. The grain is treated as in using corrosive sub- 

 limate. Each bushel of grain requires about one gallon of the 

 solution. The grain is left in a pile for 2 or 3 hours, and is 

 then spread out to dry. This method is not successful with 

 formalin that is not a 40 per cent solution. Formalin rapidly 

 loses its strength unless kept tightly corked, and careless or 

 unscrupulous dealers sell a solution that is too dilute, or under 

 weight on account of the bottles in which it is sold being below 

 standard size. Formaldehyde vapor has also been found effec- 

 tive in destroying stinking smut. 



HOT WATER OR JENSEN TREATMENT. It is claimed that this 

 process was discovered by J. L. Jensen of Denmark, in 1887. 

 Hot water and quicklime were used several years before this 

 date. In this method the seed is placed loosely in a coarsely 

 woven gunny sack or wire-covered basket, and then dipped in 

 water having a temperature between 132 and 133 F. The vol- 

 ume of water must be 6 or 8 times that of the seed treated at 

 any one time. Lifting out and draining the grain 4 or 5 times 

 during the treatment insures its coming in contact with water 

 at the proper temperature. The treatment requires 10 min- 

 utes. The grain should then be dried at once, or dipped in cold 

 water and set aside until it can be dried. 



A MODIFIED HOT WATER METHOD is used in treating for loose 

 smut, for this is not destroyed by any of the cures 



