Cleaned, Treated and Tested Seed 29 
Control: Use the formalin sprinkle or steeping methods given 
under stinking smut of wheat. 
Loose Smut. In this the smut masses are not enclosed for any 
length of time by the scales or chaff. Soon after heading the 
smutted stalks become bare, owing to the disappearance of all smutted 
parts. It appears earlier than the closed smut and differs further 
in that the grain becomes diseased in the field, the smut fungus 
entering the germ of the grain exactly as in the case of loose smut 
of wheat. 
Control: Follow the same method given for the control of loose 
smut of wheat. 
Corn. 
Corn Smut. The appearance of corn smut is so well known 
that the description here is unnecessary. Seed treatment cannot 
control this disease in corn, because the seed does not carry the fun¬ 
gus. . Corn smut is mentioned here because of a somewhat prevailing 
opinion that smut can be exterminated from this crop by means of 
seed disinfection. Infection of the corn plant comes originally from 
the soil, from smut boils that live over winter. 
Control: Instead of seed disinfection, the most profitable and 
practical control is to change the crop for two or three years. On 
a small scale the smutted parts may be removed from the field and 
burned, although this is not practical in fields badly smutted. 
Millet. 
Millet Smuts. The foxtail and grain millets are attacked by 
two smuts which recently have become important in different sections 
of the United States. Smut in the foxtail varieties is recognized in 
the field by early yellowing of the heads which at harvest appear 
darker than healthy heads. In the grain millets, such as red hog or 
proso varieties, the smutted head is enclosed by a whitish membrane 
forming a smut boil. Spores of the disease are spread to healthy 
grain in threshing and these produce infection of the millet seedling 
in a very early state of its growth. 
v Control: Use formalin solution made of one pound of formalin, 
40 per cent, strength to 40 gallons of water. The sprinkle method 
may be used as recommended for wheat or the grain may be im¬ 
mersed in this solution for one hour. The grain should be thorough¬ 
ly dried. 
Flax. 
Wilt. The cause of flax wilt is a fungus which grows on the in¬ 
side of the plant. It is found that the roots of diseased plants 
are chiefly affected. Flax wilt may live over in the soil from year 
to year. Plants of all ages may be attacked, wilting and dying in 
