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ARID AGRICULTURE. 



TREATMENT 

 OP SMUT 



FORMALIN 

 FOB SMUT 



As smut causes very much damage and is an 

 easily preventable disease, it is simply the farm- 

 er's negligence if he does not avoid any loss from 

 this source. Probably the easiest and one of the 

 most effectual treatments to prevent smut is the 

 use of blue-stone. Farmers object to a method 

 which requires long soaking of the grain. A 

 quick way commonly used is to put three teacups 

 full of blue-stone in half a barrel of water and 

 dip the grain for fifteen minutes. The sprink- 

 ling of grain with the copper sulphate solution, 

 as recommended for formalin, has proved ef- 

 fectual. If the grain is badly smutted, and 

 using it can not be avoided, the following treat- 

 ment will be sure : Dissolve one pound of cop- 

 per sulphate in 24 gallons of water. This is 

 best done by putting the sulphate in a gunny 

 sack and hanging it in the top of the barrel or 

 other vessel containing the water. After it is 

 all dissolved, soak the grain for twelve hours. 

 At the end of the time take out and drain. Then 

 place for fifteen minutes in lime water made by 

 slacking one pound of lime in ten gallons of 

 water. 



Formalin, or formaldehyde, is sold at the 

 drug stores in about forty per cent, strength. 

 Mix one pound of formalin in forty gallons of 

 water. Spread the grain on a clean floor or can- 

 vas and with a sprinkling pot or spray pump, 

 sprinkle the grain with the formalin solution, 



