BARLEY IN THE ROTATION 



227 



kinds of smut on barley are quite similar to the correspond- 

 ing diseases on wheat. Covered smut may be destroyed 

 by treating with the formaldehyde solution and loose smut 

 by the hot water treat- 

 ment (Sec. 205). These 

 diseases are frequently 

 quite destructive, and the 

 annual production of bar- 

 ley is materially decreased 

 by loss from smut. 



Leaf rust and stem 

 rust also do considerable 

 damage, particularly in 

 seasons favorable to their 

 development. The plant- 

 ing of early-maturing 

 varieties which ripen be- 

 fore rust ordinarily be- 

 comes prevalent, and the 

 use of well-drained land 

 for producing this crop 

 are recommended as pre- 

 ventives of rust injury. 

 Powdery mildew some- 

 times occurs on barley, 

 but it usually does little 

 damage. 



Fig. 76. Smutted heads of barley. The 

 three upper ones, covered smut; the two 

 lower, loose smut. 



. RELATION TO OTHER CROPS 



278. Place in the Rotation. In the Mississippi Valley 

 states, barley occupies about the same place in the rotation 

 as oats; i. o., it usually follows corn and precedes the gras 



