64 WHEAT CULTUHE. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

 DISEASES AND INSECTS ATTACKING WHEAT. 



Many of the diseases to which the wheat crop is liable 

 are caused by improper culture and conditions of the 

 land, as has been shown in the foregoing pages. Some 

 experienced growers maintain that even the prevalence of 

 insects may be prevented by judicious culture of the soil 

 and preparation of the seed. 



RUST AND SMUT. 



Rust, smut, and other forms of fungus, are usually 

 due to a lack of drainage, stagnant water in the sub-soil, 

 and a too succulent growth of the plant by the excess of 

 nitrogenous matter, and a lack of soluble silica in the 

 soil, which cause soft, spongy straw, not sufficiently 

 glazed over with silica to render it hard and stiff, to re- 

 sist effect of changes in temperature. 



It is maintained that perfect drainage and complete 

 pulverization of the soil, so as to freely admit the circula- 

 tion and action of the air and moisture all through it, by 

 which silica and other mineral matters will be better dis- 

 solved, will almost entirely remedy the evil, especially 

 with a liberal quantity of potash and salt in the soil. 

 Ashes, lime, and salt, with moisture, are powerful sol- 

 vents of all matters in the earth necessary to make stout, 

 healthy wheat crops. Hence their action does much to 

 prevent rust and smut, as also does soaking the seed, six 

 to ten hours, in salt or blue-stone brine, and then stirring 

 the grain in lime or plaster, liberally, to dry it, for work- 

 ing freely through the drill in planting. 



A moderate dressing of lime on the growing wheat, 

 late in fall or early spring, when wet with dew or rain, is 



