CORN SMUT 395 
The Smut of Oats, Stinking Smut of Wheat, and Covered Smut 
of Barley are very similar in habit and require similar treatment. 
Sometimes, as in case of the Stinking Smut of Wheat, the infec- 
tion of the seedling may be due to spores lodged in the soil as 
well as to spores adhering to the kernel. 
Loose Smuts of Wheat and Barley. — The Loose Smuts of 
Wheat and Barley mature and shed their chlamydospores when 
the grain isin flower. These 
spores are borne away by the 
wind and when falling on the 
flowers of their respective 
hosts, grow hyphae into the 
young kernel. The kernel 
continues its development, 
but when mature it has con- 
cealed within a tiny Smut 
plant, which is able, when the 
kernel is planted, to resume 
its growth and develop in the 
grain plant. Much of the 
damage from these Smuts 
can be avoided by seed selec- 
tion. Treatments for these 
Smuts must aim at killing 
the tiny Smut plants con- 
cealed in the seed grain. 
Soaking the seed in cold 
water five hours and then in 
water 130° F. for ten minutes : : 
Fic. 352. — Ear of Corn with kernels 
is recommended. destroyed and replaced by masses of 
Corn Smut. — Corn Smut gmut. From Farmers’ Bulletin 507, U.5. 
is the most conspicuous of Dept. of Agriculture. 
the Smut group. It attacks 
“all tender regions of the Corn plant but does most damage to the 
flowers which become much enlarged and transformed into Smut 
balls. 'Tumor-like developments of the Fungus occur also on the 
leaves and stem as well as on the ear and tassel. In Figure 352 
is shown an ear in which the kernels are replaced by the tumor- 
like masses of the Fungus. These Smut bodies have a thin, 
grayish, hyphal covering, and within the chlamydospores are pro- 
