94 REPORT OF THE BOTANIST OF THB 
EXPERIMENTS ON COATING THE SEED WITH FUNGICIDES. 
All of our experiments on the sulphur-lime treatment have 
pointed to the importance of bringing the mixture into close con- 
tact with the seed. While thinking over this it occurred to us to 
try the direct application of fungicides to the seed. 
A quantity of smut-infested soil was secured and to make sure 
that it was thoroughly impregnated with smut spores a quantity 
of the juice of smutty onions was mixed with it. Five boxes, 
12 inches square and 4 inches deep, were filled with this soil. 
One box was planted with onion seed which had been dipped in 
a 10 per ct. solution of potassium sulphide; one box. with seed 
dipped in eau grison;® one box with seed wet with water and 
then rolled in sulphur and lime; one box with seed wet with 
thin glue and then rolled in sulphur and lime; and the remaining 
box with untreated seed fora check. A sixth box was filled with 
sterilized soil and sowed with untreated seed; 200 seeds were 
planted in each ‘box. 
The seeds, which were first wet with thin glue and then rolled’ 
in sulphur and lime, retained the sulphur and lime nicely and 
we had high hopes of the success of this treatment. But when 
the plants came up many were found to be affected with smuf, 
and at the end of four weeks there was but one living plant in 
all five boxes of the smutty soil. They had all died with smut; 
while in the box of sterilized soil there was nearly a full stand of 
healthy plants. 
Thus it appears that a coating of sulphur and lime on the seed 
alone is not sufficient; the fungicide must be where it will come 
in contact with the caulicle or radicle or perhaps both. 
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. 
There seems to be no doubt that onion smut can be prevented 
to a considerable extent, but not wholly, by the application of 
sulphur and air-slaked lime in the drills at the time of sowing 

Hor the formula of eau grison see Lodeman, E. G. The Spraying of 
Plants, p.147. MacMillan & Co., 1896. 
