Cici/crat Trcaiiiiciit I or Smuts. 117 



about 44° C. in order to heat it ; then it was transferred to the higher tem- 

 perature, where it was plunged up and down and shaken from side to side for 

 five minutes, so as to bring every grain into contact with the hot water. Any 

 smut-balls floating on the surface were carefully skimmed off. As it is im- 

 portant to keep the water from falling below 55° C, since less heat would not 

 be so likely to prevent the germination of the smut spores, and from rising 

 above 57° C, since it might injure the grain, I attended to the time necessary 

 for dipping and the thermometer, while another kept continually agitating 

 the grain. At the end of five minutes it was immersed in cold water and 

 then spread out on a clean floor to dry. The grain thus treated germinated 

 well and came away quickly, as the heat and moisture combined seemed to 

 stimulate it. 



****** 

 It has already been pointed out that while these various methods of treat- 

 ment afford temporary relief, the only permanent means of overcoming the 

 disease is to secure by breeding or otherwise a race which will be " immune " 

 to the attacks of the parasite. In the case of those smuts which infect the 

 host-plant through the flower, this is seemingly the only means at present 

 known of meeting the difficulty. 



