DISEASES OF CORN 109 



silage or as green feed. Corn cake, a by-product left from 

 the manufacture of corn oil from the germs of corn, is also 

 valuable stock feed. Gluten meal, a by-product from starch 

 factories, is richer in protein and considerably richer in 

 carbohydrates than linseed meal. It is highly prized as 

 stock feed. Corn bran, another by-product in the manu- 

 facture of cornmeal, cornstarch, and breakfast foods, is 

 valuable feed for stock, though it is not as valuable pound 

 for pound as common wheat bran. It is quite commonly 

 mixed with gluten meal, and the mixture is then sold as 

 gluten feed. Distillery slops, a watery by-product in the 

 manufacture of alcohol, is of considerable importance as 

 stock feed, though naturally it must be fed locally as it is 

 too bulky to ship far. Malt left from distilleries is dried 

 and sold as distillers' grains, a valuable live stock feed. 



DISEASES OF CORN 



141. Smut. Corn smut is well known to every one 

 familiar with corn. In some years, when conditions are 

 favorable, considerable damage is done by it. It appears 

 as black, slimy masses, which may be on the stalks, leaves, 

 tassels, or ears. Corn smut is a parasitic plant which lives 

 on the juices of the corn plant, and in this way reduces the 

 total valuable product of the crop. The smut masses which 

 appear on the surface are made up of myriads of spores 

 by which the disease is reproduced. These spores are 

 capable of living over winter in the soil or in manure piles. 

 They may even multiply in the manure under favorable 

 conditions and then be spread on the soil with it. When 

 they start to grow in the spring, the smut plants they pro- 

 duce attack the young corn plants, sending their mycelia 

 into the tissues. Smut may attack corn at any time during 

 the growing season, usually most abundantly when the plants 

 are growing rapidly and are consequently tender, usually 

 when they are a foot or more high. 



