Apr. 5, 1924 Effect of Modified Hot-Water Treatment on Wheat 93 
average yields per plat from both the untreated and treated seed were higher 
on the west than on the east sections, without exception. It is noteworthy, 
however, that the average yield,of all the plats of the west section exceeded 
that of the east section by only 1.3 bushels per acre when the seed was untreated 
and by over four times this amount (5.3 bushels per acre) when the seed was 
treated. This shows a pronouncedly stronger reaction to less favorable soil 
conditions in plants from treated seed. 
In the yield tests of 1923, part of the treated seed was sown at an increased 
rate to offset the loss in stand brought about by the treatment. About a month 
before the usual time of sowing (September 15, 1922) small quantities of each of 
two seed lots of Goens wheat from different sources in Indiana were treated and 
dried one week at room temperature. Subsequently, 500 untreated and 500 
treated kernels of each seed lot were sown (September 22, 1922) in the field which 
was used for the later sowings. Three weeks later (October 13, 1922), germina¬ 
tion counts were made with the following results: 
Seed lot 31 from untreated seed, 87.0 per cent; from treated seed, 48.0 per cent. 
Seed lot 35 from untreated seed, 84.5 per cent; from treated seed, 54.5 per cent. 
In view of the fact that germination of both lots of treated seed was approxi¬ 
mately 50 per cent, the rate of seeding was doubled in part of the sowings. Defi¬ 
nite quantities of each of the two seed lots were weighed and measured, treated on 
October 18, 1922, spread out in thin layers and dried one week. At the end of 
this period, the treated seed had regained its original weight and volume. All 
of the untreated and part of the treated seed was sown then on October 25, in 
rod rows at the rate of 6 pecks per acre. Part of the treated seed vtas sown at 
the rate of 12 pecks per acre. In order to determine the effects of sowing freshly 
treated seed, a practice carried on by some of the patrons of the community 
seed-treating plants for the purpose of saving the labor and time involved in 
drying grain, seed from both lots was treated and sown wet at the rates of 6 and 
12 pecks per acre, respectively, also on October 25. The necessary amount for 
each row was weighed and treated in a small gauze sack. The order of sowings 
in the plat was as follows in 10 successive replications. 
Seed lot No. SI. —Seed untreated; sown dry; 6 pecks per acre. Seed treated; 
sown dry; 6 pecks per acre. Seed treated; sown dry; 12 pecks per acre. Seed 
treated; sown wet; 6 pecks per acre. Seed treated; sown wet; 12 pecks per acre. 
Seed lot No. 85. —Seed untreated; sown dry; 6 pecks per acre. Seed treated; 
sown dry; 6 pecks per acre. Seed treated; sown dry; 12 pecks per acre. Seed 
treated; sown wet; 6 pecks per acre. Seed treated; sown wet; 12 pecks per acre. 
The results are presented in Table XVI. 
Table XVI.— Loose smut infection and yields in 1923 of two lots of Goens wheat 
from untreated seed and seed treated by the modified hot-water method 
Lot No. 
Acre-yield in bushels 
Percentage of loose 
smut 
Seed un¬ 
treated 
Seed treated 
6 pecks 
per acre 
6 pecks per acre 
12 pecks per acre 
Seed 
Sown 
dry 
Sown 
dry 
Sown 
wet 
Sown 
dry 
Sown 
wet 
Untreat¬ 
ed 
Treated 
31;. 
33.2 
29.2 
25.5 
37.1 
32.2 
10.4 
0 
37.5 
29.5 
26.6 
40.9 
34.4 
11.0 
0 
Average.i. 
35.4 
29.4 
26.1 
39.0 
33.3 
10.7 
0 
