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160 AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATION BILL, 1924, 



an eradication problem, and for the last few years has been handled 

 in connection with our investigational work on cereals, the funds 

 being retained in this cereal-control item. 



In addition to that, the flag-smut problem was first taken up with 

 the hope of the eradication of flag smut from the one county in which 

 it was oelieved to occur in Illinois, in Madison County, but it does not | 

 appear that we will be able to have any reasonable success. We are 

 planning, therefore, to change that also into a control instead of an 

 eradication type of campaign. 



And in connection with that, also, the research development rather 

 than the employment of inspectors or scouts is fundamental. 



In cooperation with Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana we are carrying 

 out research phases which have been deemed best here, and we hope 

 to continue this, with the expectation of establishing throughout this 

 region varieties of wheat that will yield just as well as those pre- 

 viousl}" grown but which have a complete resistance to flag smut. 



As the situation now stands, it seems to us that that is the only 

 way that this disease can be checked or that the spread of the dis- 

 ease can be checked. 



Mr. Anderson. Well, can 3^ou maintain along these programs a 

 program to confine the disease in the areas in which it is located i Is 

 there any quarantine i 



Doctor Kellerman. Federal quarantine has never been placed on 

 this area. Quarantines on the part of Illinois, in so far as flag smut 

 is concerned, beyond Illinois, in so far as take-all is concerned, have 

 been effectively maintained, with the gradual leaping out of flag 

 smut beyond the quarantine area. It would not appear, therefore, 

 that the quarantine policy is likely to be of any great benefit. The 

 opportunity for wind dissemination, the impossibility of safeguard- 

 ing, even if we knew of the distribution of spores through common 

 carriers, motors, wagons, farm implements, and other things that are 

 likely to move in that general section of the country, make it now | 

 look as though the control of the disease bv the substitution of resist- 

 ant wheats is about the only thing that is likely to be effective at all. 

 Quarantines are still under way, but our expectations are that they 

 will be rapidly loosened instead of increased in severity. 



INCREASE FOR INVESTIGATIONAL WORK NEEDED. 



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Doctor Taylor. The need for the enlargement of the amount 

 available for the investigational work upon the cereals, aside from the 

 cereal-disease work, is acute for the reason that for several years past 

 the investigational work has stood still, financially, the increases of 1 

 funds having been for the disease-control work. The result is that 

 the highly important constructive plant-breeding work has lagged 

 somewhat behuid. 



It is of the utmost importance that this should be built up. The 

 $25, 000 involved there is desired, SI 0. ()()() for enlargement of the 

 corn-production work, covering this whole field of varietal improve- 

 ment and achiptability determination of corn with special reference to 

 the Corn Belt and SI 5, 000 for the breeding and introduction of drought 

 resistant and winter haidy type of small grain. 



One ver^ inij)ortanl thing in wheat i)ro(hiction is the pushing of 

 winter-wheat production just as far nortn as winter conditions permit. 



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