Oil Ilordeum ruhjare L.— Barley. 



Very probably known in all the States, although not specially recorded. 

 Victoria — Port Fairy, Nov., 1890 (Pearson). Caml)erwell, Nov., 

 1900. Lindenow, Nov.. 190(3. Myrniong, Nov., 1900. and 

 May, 1907 (Brittlebank). Burnley, Nov. and Dec, 1908. 



This is known as naked barley smut, in contrast to the covered barley 

 smut, under the life-history of which the chief differences have already been 

 pointed out. It also appears earlier than the covered smut, and evcrv ear is 

 generally smutted in an infected plant. 



A cross-section of the affected ovary is difficult to get, because the entire 

 contents are ultimately replaced by spores, and even in the earlier stages only 

 small patches of plant tissue remain. 



Germination. — The spores germinate freely, both in water and nutritive 

 solution. A septate germinal tube is produced which continues to grow 

 at the apex and forms lateral branches, which in turn branch again, and so a 

 spreading mycelium is developed without the formation of conidia. This 

 absence of conidia is associated with infection taking place in the flower and 

 not iji the seedling, as is usually the case. 



Trentment. — I have just received a Bulletin through the courtesy of one 

 of the authors, E. M. Freeman, entitled The Loose Smuts of Wheat and Barley, 

 in which a method of successfully treating this disease is given. Hitherto 

 the only precaution known was to use healthy seed, since the mycelium of 

 the fungus was inside, and could not be reached by the ordinary " steeps " 

 used for other smut diseases. It has been found that Jensen's modified hot 

 water treatment prevents both the loose smuts of barley and wheat, and the 

 following method is recommended. " For barley, a soaking in cold water for 

 five hours, followed by a soaking in hot water for fifteen minutes at a 

 temperature of 52° C. ; for wheat, a soaking in cold water for five hours, 

 followed by a soaking in hot watej for ten min.utes at a temperature of 54° C. 

 These treatments, if carefully carried out, entirely prevent the smut, and pro- 

 duce only slight injury to the germination of the seed. 



" Thorough drying of the seed after the application of Jensen's modified 

 hot water treatment is not injurious to the germination. When seed is 

 injured by the treatment, the germination improves after several weeks of 

 drying, and continues to improve for at least two months. 



" The following method for farm practice is recommended : — Grow seed 

 in a small isolated seed plot, using clean heavy seed of the best cjualitv, and 

 of pure stock. Treat this seed carefully by Jensen's modified hot Avater 

 method as recommended, and sow the seed according to germination tests. 

 Plant the seed from the seed plot the following year for the general farm 

 crop. !M;untnn the seed plot every year." 



(Plates X., XXVII.) 



Triticum. 

 4. Ustilago tritici (Pers.) Jens. 



Jensen, Ann. Rep. Kans. Aur. Exp. Sta. II., p. L'(ii' (1890). 

 Sacc. Syll IX., p. 283 (1891) 



Ustilnc/o sejetam (Bull.) Dittm. 

 Ustilago hordei Bref. (in part). 

 Ustilago tritici f. folicola P. Henn. 



