FUNGICIDES 41 



this purpose there can be used a bushel basket made of 

 heavy wire inside of which is spread wire netting, say 

 12 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 pre- 

 ferable 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 the 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 only affected by 

 the loose smut. Now dip the basket of seed in the 

 first vessel containing water at 110° to 120° 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 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° to 133° F. If the ther- 

 mometer indicates that the temperature of the water is 

 falling, pour in hot water from kettle of boiling water 

 until the right degree is maintained. If the temperature 

 should rise higher than 133°, add a little cold water. In 

 all cases the water should be well stirred whenever any 

 of a different temperature is added. The basket of seed 

 should very shortly after its immersion be lifted and 



