290 Experiments with Blue-stone and Formalin, [aug., 



maltster's point of view. The test was repeated in 1903 with 

 similar results. As it seemed possible, however, that a smaller 

 quantity of blue-stone might be less injurious to the plant in 

 its early stages, it was decided in 1904 to determine the effect 

 of reducing the proportion of blue-stone. 



Treatment. 



Yield per Acre. 



Natural 

 W T eight 



per 

 Bushel. 



lb. 



Saleable 

 Bushels. 

 56 lb. 



Seconds 

 Bushels. 

 56 lb. 



Total 

 Bushels. 

 56 lb. 



Straw, 

 cwt. 



Not dressed... 





Si 



41 



21 



55 



Dressed with ^ lb. 











blue-stone 



32* 



51 " 



38i 



26\ 



54 



Dressed with 1 lb. 











blue-stone... 



27i 



6 



33? 



24 



55 



The results indicate that blue-stone does, to some extent, 

 detrimentally affect the yield. If the yield of saleable corn 

 alone is considered no ill effect has resulted from the use of the 

 reduced quantity of blue-stone. If total yield of grain is con- 

 sidered, then even the smaller quantity of blue-stone would seem 

 to have injuriously affected the crop. It is hardly to be ex- 

 pected, however, that the chemical will not have some injurious 

 influence on the young plant, but the loss occasioned thereby 

 will be small compared with that caused by an outbreak of the 

 disease. 



The increased weight of straw on both the pickled plots would, 

 at any rate, tend to show that the plant had not been per- 

 manently injured, but that possibly the pickling resulted in a 

 slight thinning of the crop in the initial stages. 



There was very little smut in 1904 on the plot sown with 

 unpickled seed, so that it remains to be seen whether the 

 weaker solution is strong enough to prevent the disease. 



The above experiments were carried out with barley. Two 

 experiments have recently been reported as to the effect both 

 of blue-stone and formalin on germination in the case of wheat. 

 In the Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales* Mr. R. W. 

 Peacock, of the Experimental Farm, Bathurst, states that it 

 was shown by experiment that the blue-stone method may kill 



* March, 1905. 



