Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1917 — TREATMENT WILL SAVE GRAIN [ARTICLE]

TREATMENT WILL SAVE GRAIN

Millions of Bushels of Wheat and Rye Are Lost Annually.

The ('ase for Seed Treatment Over 3% per cent, of the wheat crop and 1 per cent, of the rye crop is lost through smut. Seed treatment with formaldehyde solution is practically 100 per cent, efficient, except in a few sections where the soil is badly polluted with smut spores. The formaldehyde treatment costs less than 5 cents per acre for materials and labor. To this must be added in extreme cases the cost of 20 per cent, of the seed grain, the germinating power of which may be destroyed because of seed injury. In every case the entire cost of the treatment together with possible seed injury is much less than the value of the increased yield which it assures.

Now that, because of world shortage, every bushel of wheat and rye counts for more than ever •before, the safeguarding of the next crops of these grains against disease by the treatment of seed before planting is of greatest importance, says the United States Department of Agriculture. Department specialists estimate that the average annual loss due to the smuts of wheat and rye amounts approximately to 27,000,000 bushels. This is equal to about 3% per cent. , of the entire yearly wheat crop and is regarded as a conservative estimate, since only smutted heads actually lost are considered. The increased number of heads which healthly plants would have thrown out were not taken into account. The loss to the billionbushel wheat crop the department hopes to see harvested next year would, at 3% per cent., amount to 35,000,000. With wheat selling at $2 a buishel this would amount to an exceedingly high tax on the farmers of the country. Treatment of wheat . against stinking smut is fairly easy, not expensive, and fully 95£>er cent, effective. The efficiency of the treatment # is, in fact, practically 100 per cent, in most of the wheatgrowing regions. The percentage -of efficiency for the country as a whole, however, is reduced by the fact that in large regions in the Pacific Northwest the soil is polluted' with smpt germs to such an extent that the effects of seed treatment are negatived. Seed '’treatment costs not to exceed 5 cents an

acre for materials and labor. To this cost, however, must be added the cost of grain, the germinating power of which may be destroyed? by the treatment. This amountsat the most to 20 per cent. In every case the Value of the wheat saved by treatment would amount to several times the cost of treatment. Statistics show that the average annual loss of rye from ‘ smut is about 1 per cent —considerably less than the loss of wheat. It is well worth while, however, to treat rye seed also. Several methods of treating seed for the destruction of smut spores are in use, but the best, it is believed, is the formaldehyde treatment. The grain should first be cleaned thoroughly with a fanning mill so that smut balls, shriveled grain, chaff, etc., will be removed. After the grain is clean it may be spread on a floor or a tarpaulin in a layer or pile several inches thick

and sprinkled with a solution of formaldehyde made by mixing one pound of commercial formaldehyde with forty-five gallons of water. An ordinary sprinkling can or a spraying machine is used and the grain is shoveled over and over until every kernel isp. wet. The grain is then placed in a pile and covered with sacks, blankets, or a tarpaulin for two hours or over night. It is then dried sufficiently to be run through the drill, after which it may be sown. .If the grain is not passed through a fanning mill it should be placed in a vat or tank of the formaldehyde solution instead of being sprinkled. The smut balls will rise to thm surface and may be skimmed off. If the grain is not to be planted immediately, it must be dried sufficiently to prevent spoiling when placed in bins. If planted while damp and swollen, more grain by measure must be used to allow for the expansion.