GET WILD CUCUMBER EARLY NEXT YEAR 



There isn't much you can do about wild cucumber in cornfields now. But you can plan 

 to incorporate atrazine preplant next year in fields to be planted in corn. 



SPRAYING CORN MAY MAKE HARVEST EASIER 



Corn can be sprayed with 2,4-D after the dough stage. Weeds will already have com- 

 peted with this year's corn crop and taken much of their toll, but harvest may be a 

 little easier. Follow the usual precautions if you spray. 



CONSIDER PARAQUAT IF SOYBEAN WEEDS SERIOUS 



Harvest aids to dessicate weeds in soybeans have usually not been recommended in Illi- 

 nois. However, if the weeds are bad and you need help, you could consider paraquat. 

 Check the label for details. 



WATCH SEEDS FROM FALL BOUQUETS 



Fall bouquets containing such weeds as milkweed pods, teasel, and foxtail may look nice. 

 But ask your wife to be careful where she disposes of any weed seeds. 



REVISED WEED CONTROL PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE 



Revised copies of Illinois Circular 828, Controlling Giant Foxtail in Illinois and Il- 

 linois Circular 827, Controlling Johnsongrass in Illinois are now available. Single 

 copies may be requested from the Agricultural Publications Office, 123 Mumford Hall, 

 University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801. 



PLANT DISEASES 



COMMON CORN SMUT 



This disease appears to be widespread in Illinois this year. The fungus, Ustilago 

 maydis , is most destructive on sweet corn, but the chances for development on all 

 other corn are increased by detasseling, hail, insects, and various forms of mech- 

 anical injury. The extent of common smut damage to corn depends on the location, 

 number and size of the glistening, greenish-to-silver galls. Lai'ge galls on or 

 above the ear are more destructive than those below the ear. 



Light rainfall followed by dry weather and soils with abundant nitrogen and organic 

 matter may favor gall formation. The smut fungus causes the plant cells to enlarge, 

 creating swollen areas or galls. The galls contain a greasy mass of black spores, 

 but are not poisonous to animals. Smut spores remain viable in manure, soil and corn 

 debris. Earlier this year, galls formed small, knotty growths on the leaves of sus- 

 ceptible corn plants. 



The most effective smut controls include: (1) use of resistant varieties, (2) avoiding 

 mechanical injury, (5) maintaining balanced fertility, and (4) protecting the plants 

 against corn insects. 



BLIGHT STATUS, ESSENTIALLY UNCHANGED 



The southern corn leaf blight picture changed little overall during the past week. But 

 with the coming of hotter, more humid weather, the blight is likelv to continue develop- 

 ing in isolated "hot spots"- -particularly in eastern, south-central, and southeastern 



