GRAIN SMUTS. 555 



THE HOT-WATER TREATMENT FOR STINKING SMUT OF WHEAT AND 



OAT SMUT. 



Provide two large vessels, preferably holding at least twenty gallons. 

 Two wash kettles, soap kettles, wash boilers, tubs, or even barrels, 

 will do. One of the vessels should contain warm water, say at no 

 degrees to 120 degrees F., and the other scalding water, at 132 degrees 

 to 133 degrees F. The first is for the purpose of warming the seed 

 preparatory to dipping it into the second. Unless this precaution is 

 taken it will be difficult to keep the water in the second vessel at the 

 proper temperature. A pail of cold water should be at hand, and it is 

 also necessary to have a kettle filled with boiling water from which to 

 add from time to time to keep the temperature right. Where kettles 

 are used a very small fire should be kept under the kettle of scalding 

 water. The seed which is to be treated must be placed, half a bushel 

 or more at a time, in a closed vessel that will allow free entrance and 

 exit of water on all sides. For this purpose there can be used a bushel 

 basket made of heavy wire, inside of which is spread wire netting, say 

 twelve meshes to the inch ; or an iron frame can be made at a trifling 

 cost, over which the wire netting can be stretched. This will allow 

 the water to pass freely and yet prevent the passage of the seed. 

 A sack made of loosely woven material, as gunny sack, can be used 

 instead of the wire basket. A perforated tin vessel is in some respects 

 preferable to any of the above. In treating stinking smut of wheat, 

 the grain should first be thrown into a vessel filled with cold water; 

 then, after stirring well, skim off the smutted grains that float on top 

 and put the grain into the basket or other vessel for treatment with 

 hot water. This skimming is entirely unnecessary with other grains, 

 and even with wheat when affected only by the loose smut. Now dip 

 the basket of seed in the first vessel, containing water at no degrees 

 to 120 degrees F. ; after a moment lift it, and when the water has for 

 the most part escaped, plunge it into the water again, repeating the 

 operation several times. The object of the lifting and plunging, to 

 which should be added also a rotary motion, is to bring every grain in 

 contact with the hot water. Less than a minute is required for this 

 preparatory treatment, after which plunge the basket of seed into the 

 second vessel, containing water at 132 degrees to 133 degrees F. If 

 the thermometer indicates that the temperature of the water is falling, 

 pour in hot water from the kettle of boiling water until the right 

 degree is attained. If the temperature should rise higher than 133 



