

105 
demonstrate that the small quantity of seed applied brought about 
the increase in length of panicle and size of grain, although detri- 
mental to crop. 
Puat F 19. Planted to Clawson wheat Sept. 25, 1884, in the same 
manner as F 17. Vegetated Oct. 1, and made a vigorous, healthy 
growth, like its duplicate, F 17, till winter set in. December 23, a 
light covering of straw, as a mulch, was applied and left upon the 
plat till growth began in spring when it was removed. The plants 
had a paler, more sickly appearance than those of F 17, and many 
seemed to have died during the winter, probably from suffocation. 
The appearance of the plant was inferior up to ripening, July 23, 
owing to its having been so much retarded in growth. The pani- 
cles averaged longer than those of F 17, but shorter than F 16 
and F 18, while the number of breasts per head averaged 15. Cut 
July 24, the yield in straw was 86 pounds 8 ozs., and in grain 44 
pounds 8 ozs., or at the rate of 1730 pounds of straw and 134 bushels 
of grain per acre. 
Smut EXPERIMENTS WITH OATS. 
In an effort to determine what influence the character of the seed 
had upon the progeny, five rows of White Australian, and the 
same number of rows of Race Horse oats were planted. | It is to be 
noted that the first mentioned variety in our 1884 test, smutted very 
badly, while the Race Horse did not smut at all. The names have no 
bearing in the matter, as they are synonyms, the main point being 
that no smut was apparent in one seed, while in the other it was 
very manifest. The rows were 33 feet long. Nothing more was 
done than to plant, and when the seeds were in the dough make a 
record from each series of rows, as follows:— 

Raw Wisiato Panicles in Smutted Per cent. of 
: y: row. panicles. smut. 
(1;/White Australian ---- 511 55 10.70 
8.472 a E 2 ae 623 36 5.77 
ous B| aw hk 553 44 7.96 
soe | 4 a my ee 689 57 8.27 
L5 < i ei. 849 102 12.01 
fol Race’ Horse; 4) p400'4 45 - 792 10 1.26 
AP ted ei AND RS tl 629 15 2.38 
eee 499 8 1.60 
wwiin Ge ail se Nedycrn Sey tak 660 15 2.27 
Byiia* RTPA A 572 10 1 74 

A summary of the figuresfrom each series, gives for Series I a to- 
tal of 3225 panicles, of which 294 or 9.11 per cent. were smutty. 
Series II gives atotal of 3152 panicles, of which 58 or 1.20 per cent. 
were smutty. Did the character of the seed used influence the per 
centage of smut ? is a potent question. The figures in themselves 
are full of interest, as seemingly answering the above, in the affirma- 
tive, yet with our very limited knowledge of the cereal smuts, we 
have not sufficient evidence to warrant arriving at such a conclusion. 
Three rows thirty-three feet long, were planted to Race Horse 
