OATS HARVESTING, MARKETING, ENEMIES 303 



the most common of which are the formalin treatment 

 and the hot-water treatment. 



The formalin treatment consists in dipping the seed for 

 ten minutes in a 

 solution containing 

 one pint of formalin 

 to 30 gallons of 

 water. The seed 

 may be put in 

 loosely woven sacks 

 and the entire mass 

 immersed in the 

 solution. The seed 

 is then dried suf- 

 ficiently to run 

 through the drills, 

 or if immediate sow- 

 ing is impossible, 

 the seed should be 

 spread and thor- 

 oughly dried to pre- 

 vent germination. 

 If the grain is sown 

 while in a swollen 

 condition, the quan- 

 tity to the acre 

 should be increased 

 accordingly. 



370. The hoi- 

 water treatment 



FIG. 47. Smut of oats, showing a smutted 

 head and for comparison a sound oat head. 



consists in immersing the seed for ten minutes in water kept 

 at a temperature of from 132 to 133 F. In order that the 

 temperature of the hot water may not be greatly reduced 



