60 Vict. Peovingial Boahd of Horticulture. 56 



and land which had produced scabby potatoes should not be planted to the same crop the 

 following season, for the same reason. It is also noticed that scabby potatoes are more 

 abundant in fields heavily fertilized with barn-yard manure, while crops grown on new or sod 

 land are usually free from scab. 



Good results liave been obtained when only scabbed seed tubers are available, by soaking 



them for an hour in Bordeaux mixture before planting. The potatoes 



Treatment. should not be cut before soaking. The selection of clean seed and new or 



sod land for planting are no doubt the best means of dealing with this 



disease. 



Smut in grain , is reported from Quamichan, Alberni, Upper Sumas, Kelowna, Lower 

 Nicola, Bonaparte, Ohilcotin, Tobacco Plains, and prevalent to a greater or less extent where- 

 ever grain is grown. 

 Smut in Grain. There are two kinds of smut affecting wheat, one known as "bunt, or stink- 

 ing smut," in which the affected heads of grain retain a bluish-green colour 

 for some time after the sound ones begin to ripen, and afterwards take on a bleached appear- 

 ance. If injured kernels are broken open they are found to contain a mass of black powder — 

 the spores of the fungus. The other is known as "loose smut," distinguished from the pre- 

 ceding by the fact that the spores are not concealed. Usually, the kernels resemble masses of 

 black powder; later this blows away, and leaves the bare chaff and stem. This and the smut 

 affecting oats are very similar in character. 



As has been stated in previous reports, one of the most common reasons for smutty grain, 

 is the cropping of the same land year after year with the same crop. Other reasons are 

 neglecting to change the seed used, and to use one of the well known preventives to dress 

 seed grain. 



Bluestone is probably the most-used remedy. One pound, dissolved in five quarts of 

 water, is sufficient for four bushels of seed. It should be sprinkled over the seed," and the 

 mass kept stirred till all is absorbed, shortly previous to the grain being sown. 



The Jensen hot water method, which is so efficacious, has never come into general use, 

 probably on account of the difficulty experienced in keeping the water at a right temperature. 

 The following is the method referred to. 



This method of treating wheat and oats as a preventive for smut was discovered by J. L. 



Jensen, of Denmark, in 1887, and it has since been proved that the adhering spores of smut 



are killed by dipping the seed in hot water without impairing the vitality of 



Jensen or ^;hg seed. The mode of procedure is as follows: — Have two kettles of water, 

 T °* t ^^T °'^^ heated to a temperature of from 110 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, the 

 other to 135 degrees Fahrenheit. The first is for the purpose of warming 

 the seed preparatory to its being placed in the warmer water. Unless, this precaution is taken 

 it will be difficult to keep the water in the second vessel at the proper temperature. The seed 

 to be treated should be placed in a sack that will allow the water to pass readily (a coarse 

 gunny sack is good). According to the size of the kettles, the sack may contain from one-half 

 to one bushel. Dip the wheat into kettle No. 1 (110 to 130 degrees), lifting it out and plunging 

 it in two or three times. This process will occupy about two minutes. Then dip it into the 

 warmer water, keeping the wheat in the bag well stirred. The best plan is to lift it out and 

 plunge it in several times. This should be continued ten tp fifteen minutes, according to the 

 temperature of the water, and the grain then spread out to dry. A second person should 

 regulate the temperature of the water, and do nothing else. Probably it will be found best to 

 have a fire under kettle No. 2 sufficient to raise the water to 145 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, 

 and then add cold water to reduce it to 134 or 135 degrees Fahrenheit, when the seed is put 

 in. If at the end of ten minutes the temperature of the water has not been reduced below 133 

 degrees, the seed should be removed and dipped into cold water. If below 133 degrees 

 Pahre&heit it should be left in fifteen minutes, or even longer if the temperature should fall 

 below 130 degrees Fahrenheit. 



The treatment is essentially the same for oats, except that the temperature of the water 



in kettle No. 2 shoui^ be 130 or 140 degrees Fahrenheit when the oats are put in. If at the 



end of ten minutes the temperature is not below 1 35 degrees they should be 



Oats. left in fifteen minutes, or even longer if the temperature falls below 130 



degrees. When taken out the grain should be dipped in cold water. 



