724 



Preventing " Bunt " in Wheat. 



[Nov., 



us some seed-wheat (Standard Bed) which he had " pickled " in 

 the traditional method with a 10 per cent, solution of copper 

 sulphate (using 1 gal. to the 4 bushels'). Comparing the germina- 

 tion of this seed with that of an untreated sample of the same 

 seed, it was found that the " pickled " seed germinated only 47 

 per cent, in 10 days, increasing after 15 days to 57 per cent., 

 and reaching finally 60 per cent. ; the untreated seed germinated 

 98 per cent, in 4 days. In another case, where the same method 

 was employed, again by a farmer, the treated seed (Marshal 

 Foch) germinated only 70 per cent., while the untreated seed 

 gave 100 per cent, germination.* Here, then, the farmers were 

 killing from BO to 40 per cent, of the seed- wheat before sowing 

 it. Assuming that 2 J bushels of seed to the acre is the correct 

 amount to be sown, there may thus be a sheer waste of J to 1 

 bushel of seed-wheat to the acre. Sir Daniel Hall pointed out.t 

 in 1920. that " if we could reduce the amount of seed used by 

 one bushel an acre the country would gain 3 per cent, on its 

 output of wheat, worth well over £1,000,000 a year at the 

 present time.+ 



I. Experiments during 1920-21. — The object of the experi- 

 ments was to confirm previous results which showed that for- 

 malin was preferable to copper sulphate, and also to ascertain 

 whether a more dilute solution of formalin than that previously 

 used was equally effective. 



The general method adopted was that described in the pre- 

 vious paper. Contaminated seed was obtained from the experi- 

 mental plots of the preceding season and divided into 5 lots for 

 treatment as shown in the table. Duplicate plots were sown (by 

 hand) with each lot of seed, samples being retained and sent to the 

 Official Seed Testing Station, where the percentage of germina- 

 tion was determined. As the plants grew the plots were examined 

 periodically to see whether the treatment had had any adverse 

 effect on the growth, but no difference in the general appearance 

 of the plots could be seen. When the crops were harvested 1,000 

 ears were taken at random from each plot and examined indi- 

 vidually for bunt. The results obtained were as follows: — 



* We are indebted to Mr. S. T. Parkinson. Head of the Botanical Depart- 

 ment, South-Eastern Agricultural College. Wye, for carrying out these 

 germination tests. 



f This Journal, Vol. XXVII, 1920, p. 626. 



1 As is, of course, well known, good crops are frequently obtained from 

 seed " pickled " with bluestone. Until scientific investigations as to the correct 

 rate of seeding have been made, it is open to any one to hold the view that a 

 better crop is obtained by sowing the lesser quantity of viable seed caused by 

 the bluestone treatment. The economic waste of seed would, of course, still 

 remain. 



