Reports to the Board of Agriculture. 5 
developing grain. In Sweden this second attack is often haimful, 
producing light shrivelled samples of corn (frits). 
Little or nothing can he done when a crop is badly attacked, as 
the one reported from Croydon. Moreover, the damage is now (June) 
done, and the second brood cannot be materially lessened, even by 
ploughing up the crop, as they are hatching out rapidly. 
One feature has been noticed in districts where Oscinis frit is 
abundant, namely, that early sown crops suffer the least. Oats 
sown 29th of March w r ere not attacked ; those sown on 29th of April 
had over 70 per cent, of the stems attacked. 
Where a field is irreparably damaged it is as well to deeply 
plough it up at once, so as to bury the puparia of the fly and thus 
prevent the second and summer brood, that cannot be so easily 
destroyed, from appearing. 
When early signs of the crop being attacked are noticed, the loss 
may be materially lessened by the timely application of some 
stimulating dressing such as nitrate of soda. 
Smut in Barley and Insects. 
The barley sent by a correspondent of the Board from Brackley, 
Northamptonshire, was found to be suffering from the fungoid disease 
called Loose Smut ( Ustilago mulct, Jensenii). 
Two methods of treatment are knov r n for Smuts : (1) the “ blue- 
stone ” treatment and (2) the “ hot water ” treatment. The former 
does well for covered smut ( Ustilago jensenii, Rostr.), but has little 
effect on Loose Smut. 
The “ hot water ” treatment consists of soaking the grain for five 
minutes in hot water heated to 126° F. 
The grain should be warmed just before by putting it in a sack 
and steeping it for a few minutes in water of 120° F. After the 
grain has been five minutes in the hot water, 126° F., it should be 
taken out and plunged right away into cold water and then spread 
out to dry. 
Some Clavicorn Beetles of the genus Phalacrus of Faykull were 
found in the diseased ears. They apparently feed upon the spores of 
the Smut fungus, but at the same time they no doubt help to dis- 
tribute this fungoid disease, for they are often seen covered with the 
spores, amongst which they crawl during feeding time. The remedy 
of this combined attack lies in treatment of the seed ; no steps need be 
taken in regard to the insects. 
