192 NATURE STUDY AND AGRICULTURE 
barley, rye, and corn. It would be interesting to bring to school and 
show your class a specimen of smut from each of these. 
Can you learn of any one in the neighborhood who treated his seed 
‘grain for this disease? If so, look for smut in the fields treated and 
compare with untreated fields. Get from the farmer a detailed de- 
scription of his procedure with the fungicide. 
12. Flax wilt. — If flax is raised in your vicinity, watch the fields for 
the development of flax wilt. If you find any ‘diseased plants note their 
appearance carefully. Watch them for some days to see what becomes 
of them. How do you account for the origin of the disease in that 
particular field? 
13. Mildew. — Find some plants with mildew upon them. You 
should at least notice it on lilac bushes in autumn. Does it seem to 
do any harm to lilacs? How does it affect roses or other plants? 
14. Potato scab. — Examine potatoes when they are being harvested 
and see if you can find some that are affected with scab. How does it 
injure the value of potatoes? If there is danger of scab in your neigh- 
borhood, what is done to prevent its appearance? 
15. Fire blight. —Tf this disease is found on apples in your district, 
try to see some trees that are affected by it. Learn to recognize it and 
to distinguish between healthy and diseased wood. Cut a twig length- 
wise and see how far down the stem and how deep into the wood the 
disease extends. 
16. Oral and Written Composition. —To prepare a good report on 
some of the preceding projects will be a fine composition exercise. It 
should usually be possible to show illustrative specimens to your audi- 
ence (school or class) as you present the report, and in that way make 
it more instructive. These themes are especially suitable: 
. A study of molds. — Project No. 2. 
. Infection by bacteria. — Nos. 3 and 4. 
Plant diseases of this region. — Nos. 6 and 7. 
. How to kill fungi. — No. 9. 
. Rust and its prevalence. — No. 10. 
Smut and its prevention. — No. 11. 
‘Flax wilt. — No. 12. 
. Mildew. — No. 13. 
Potato scab. — No. 14. 
Fire-blight. — No. 15. 
Sos po TAS AO SS 
