364 



Bunt and Smut. 



fungus, but the distinctions are of no importance to the 

 farmer. 



Both in the case of bunt and smut infection takes place when 

 the plant is quite young, the fungus pushing up inside the plant 

 as it grows, until ultimately the immature seeds are attacked in 

 the characteristic fashion. Prevention always takes the form of 

 treating the seed in such a way that the spores are destroyed 

 before sowing. In the case of wheat the most approved 

 " steep " or " pickle " consists either in pouring the grain into a 

 barrel or other receptacle containing a half per cent, solution of 

 bluestone (copper sulphate) and leaving it there, with frequent 

 stirring, for 12 — 16 hours, or in spreading the grain on a floor 

 and sprinkling it with a 10 per cent, solution of the same 

 material. The latter is the method most commonly practised 

 in this country, the mode of procedure being to empty a sack 

 (four bushels) on a wooden floor and to water it with 1 gallon 

 of water in which 1 lb. of bluestone has been previously dissolved. 

 The seed should be turned during the progress of the opera- 

 tion, and thereafter it should be turned two or three times, after 

 which it is spread out in a thin layer till it is dry enough 

 to sow. 



The same method may be practised in the case of barley 

 and oats, but as it is found that these grains suffer somewhat 

 seriously in germination in consequence of the treatment, resort 

 is had to the hot water system of Jensen. This is practised 

 by placing, say, 10 gallons of boiling" water in a large barrel 

 or tub, and immediately adding an equal quantity of cold water. 

 The whole should then show a temperature of 130 — 1350 F., and 

 care must be taken to secure, but not to exceed, this tem- 

 perature. Needless to say, a thermometer must be used to 

 determine the point. One bushel of seed contained in a sack 

 or closed basket is then dipped into the water, where it remains 

 for five to seven minutes, when it is removed and spread out to 

 dry. The water in the receptacle is then brought up to the 

 necessary temperature, and a new lot of grain immersed. It 

 is found to be an improvement to soak the grain in cold 

 water four or five hours before placing it in the hot water. 



Both when treated with bluestone solution and with hot 

 water a certain percentage of the grains are destroyed, but as 



