Reports to the Fount of . I i^n'cntturc. 5 



iK'Volopin^' ^r.ini. In Sweden this second uUn k i.-^ «-u.jii liarnilul, 

 priMJucinj,' lit^ht shrivelleil sanijde.s «»f corn (fiils). 



Little or notliing can he ilone when a crop i.s badly attacked, sw 

 the one re|)orted from Croydon. Moreover, the damaj^e i.s now (June) 

 done, ami the second hrood cannot be materially U'S.Hened, even by 

 plou^'hing up the crop, a.s they are hatching' out rapidly. 



One feature has been noticed in tlistricts where Oacinut frit is 

 abujidant, namely, that early sown crops sutler the legist. Oats 

 sown 2'.Hh t)f March were not atUicked ; those sown on 29th of April 

 had over To i>er cent, of the stems atUicked. 



Where a tieUl is irreparably dama^'cd it is jia well to deeply 

 plou^'h it up at once, so as to bury the puparia of the fly an<l thus 

 prevent the second and summer broo^l, that cannot be so easily 

 desti*oyed, from api>ejuing. 



When early si^'ns of the ci*op being attacked are noticed, the loss 

 may l>e materially lessened by the timely application of .some 

 stimulating (.bv\ssing such as nitrate of .soila. 



Smut in Barley and Insects. 



The barley sent by a c(»iTesiH)ndeiit oi the 15uard frnm l>nickley, 

 Northamptonshire, was foiuul to he sutfering from the fungoiil diseiise 

 called Lot)se Smut {UsdUujo luula, Jensenii). 



Two metluKls of treatment ai-e known for Smuta : (1) the " blue- 

 stone " tivatment and (2) the "hot water" treatment. The former 

 does well for coveretl smut {Ust Hugo jensenii, llostr.), but has little 

 eflecl on Loo.se Smut. 



The " hot water" treatment consi.sts of soaking the gniin for five 

 minutes in hot wiUer healed to 120 F. 



The grain should be warmed just l>eforc by putting it in a .sjick 

 ami steeping it for a few minutes in water of 120" F. After the 

 grain has Injen five minutes in the hot water, I2G° F., it should be 

 taken out and jdungetl right away into cold water ami then spix-ad 

 out to dry. 



>ome Clavicorn Deciles of the genus I'lutlacntA ol raykuil were 

 louiid in the di.'^easeil eaix. They appaivntly feed ujton ilu? sikuv.s of 

 the Smut fungus, but at the same lime they no doubt lu'lj* to dis- 

 tribute this fungoid ili.sc.i.se, fi>r they aiv often .sven c«iveird with the 

 spores, amongst which they crawl during feeiling time. The ixMueily 

 of this comltinetl attack lies in treatment of the .seeil ; no steps need be 

 taken in reganl to the insects. 



