DISEASES OF CROPS 



247 



the seed and soak for five to seven hours in water at a temperature of 63° 

 to 72° F. Then put into loose bags or wire baskets holding about one peck 

 each and plunge into water ranging between 126° and 129° F. for ten min- 

 utes. Care should be taken 

 to keep the water at the 

 proper temperature and to 

 keep the grain well stirred. 

 The seed can be dried on a 

 barn floor or canvas. 



Stinking Smut or Bunt 

 (Tittetia fcetans [B. and C], 

 Trel.). — This disease is very- 

 different from the loose smut. 

 The diseased grains are shriv- 

 eled, greenish tinted, filled 

 with a mass of black spores 

 and have a disagreeable 

 odor. Badly infested crops 

 are worthless for milling or 

 for stock feed. 



Treatment. — Put one 

 pound of formaldehyde in 

 fifty gallons of water and 

 sprinkle on the grains at the 

 rate of one gallon to each 

 bushel of grain. Shovel the 

 wet grain into a pile and 

 cover with canvas or burlap 

 for six to twelve hours. 

 Spread and dry. (See Chap- 

 ter on Wheat.) 



OATS 

 Rust (Puccinia coronata, 

 Cda.). — Also the two species 

 found on wheat. 



Treatment. — Same as for 

 wheat. 



Smut (Ustilago avena [Per.], Jens.).— Very similar in appearance to the 

 loose smut of wheat. 



Treatment. — Formaldehyde treatment same as for stinking smut of 



wheat. 



Smtjt op Oats. 1 



Showing a smutted head, and for comparison 

 a sound oat head. 



iFrom Farmers' BiUletin 507, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 



