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Laa cartaa. planchaa. tablaa^x. etc., pauvant dtra filmia A daa taux da rMuction diff«rants. Lorsqua la document aat trop grand pour 4tre raproduit un un saul clich«. il sst film« A partir da I'angia sup«riaur gaucha, da gaucha i droita. at do haut 9n baa, an pranant la nombra d'liragaa nAcassaira. Las diagrammes suivants illuatrant la m^thoda. 1 32 X '4 11! !- ^ m CENTRAL EXPERIMENTAL FARM, •DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTUKE. OTTAWA, - - . - CANADA. 6 i BULLETIN No. 3. MARCH L5th, 18B8. a.>_o. -^^^^^^^^^^^^ to become nu.to unsaleablo for milling purpo-es As tho timo for sowing is „ow approaching, it is hoped 'hat every farmer who has the slightest reason ,„ sns^ct that hi T g.a,a may he contaminated with thegerms of oi he,- t e d .™ . ve pa,.a»„es will Creat it in .ec„,.a„ce with the directions gtt the alter part of this Bulletin nnder tho head of "remedie ■ f th,» ,s generally done a great saving will be effected ,oT„ ! , and much after disappointment prevented. ° """"'^ I have the honour to bo, Tour obedient servant, WM. SAUNDEES, Ottawa, March 15th, 1888. . . '^Uector. ! *' stin of the ny i-oquoet IteDomin- JCWhefit," ice of this hi, caused loss may tei- .should amors of Rb history such use- In many it, and in > infected 8 carried through- in vahio odour as 'ed that his seed dostruc- ?iven in !8." If Jonntry Centhal Experimental Farm. :tor. ■:o:- DEP.VKTMKXr OF ADIIICILTIJKK OTTAWA, - - CANADA. SMUTS AFFECTING WHEAT. BY JAMES FLETCHER, F.R.S.C, F.r..S. Entoniolofjist and Botanist to the Domiiiiitn Krperimcntal Farms. The largo amount of less to the wheat crop every year, from the attacks of the low forms of vegetable life Icnown as Parasitic Fungi, is now universally acknowledged ; but the enormous extent of this injury is only appreciated by those who specially turn their attention to the matter. For an evidence of the magnitude of this injurj' we may consult the Report of the United States Commissioner of Agri- culture for 1886, where we find the following words: "we may safely assume that the value of the corn and wheat annually des- troyed in this country by diseases induced by fungi is not less than $200,000,000." This large sum of course also includes the injury caused by " Eusts " and " Mildews " as well as " Smuts." Fungi is a Latin word (plural of Fungus) which is applied to a large class of fiowerless plants of which Toadstools, Mushiooms and the large ear-shaped woody growths, sometimes tound on forest trees, are conspicuous examples. There are, however, also included in this class many small foims which are not so readily recognized by the ordinary observer as fungi. Amongst these we find the " Moulds " wrhich appear upon provisions when lett in a warm and dam.T) atm.osphere, and also the " Smuts," « Mildews " and " Rusts " which are the chief agents in inflicting the heavy losses in grain and fruit crops ""eady referred to. Fungi (Jiffci- voiy much from tho ordinary forms of vcgotation around ns. They liavo neither true roots, stems, loaves, flowers, noi- seeds. They are, however, unmistakoably plants, of low organiza- tion it is true, but still plants developed from germs called spores, somewhat Jinalogous to, but not the same as, the seeds of tho more highly organized flowei-ing plants. A spore is a reproductive body wliich answers the same purpose as a seed by providing for tho pei'potuity of the species of plant which produces it; but has not like the true seed, a rudimentaiy plant already formed Avithin it. The processes of development, fertilization and i-eproduction amongst these low forms of vegetable life, are as yet, with few exceptions, little understood. This is chiefly duo to the difficulties attending their investigation, tho very minute size of their parts, and tho small num- ber of students who have made a special study of this branch of science. Wo know, however, amongst other facts, that in all fungi wo may recognize two systems, the first, vegetative, which is popularly called tho " spawn " (wycelium) and which in those kinds parasitic upon crops, rob tho ])lant8 cultivated of the nourishment necessary for them to produce the most satisfactory icsults; the second, reproductive, by which tho injurious parasite is propagated. My object in writing those lines is to remind farmers of the serious loss sufici-ed every year fi-om tho ravages of one class of these parasitic fungi called " Wheat Smuts," and at tho same time to draw their attention to some of tho i-cmcdies which have been found successful in keeping these pai-asites within bounds. It was at onetime consideicd that tho difficulties in tho way of investigating these ])aiasites woi'o insurmountable, and that it was useless to search foi- remedies against their attacks. Now, however sufficient has been discovei cd to sliow that there io a wide and fertile field for useful research with great promise of good results. To those who have not time nor opportunities for undertaking these highly interesting but difficult observations, I would earnestly re- commend a little book entitled " Diseases of Field and Garden Crops " by Worthington G. Smith, (Macmilian & Co., London, 1884). In this small woik of which I have made extensive use in this article, the author has ti-cated of tho chief diseases which attack crops, in a plain and simple manner, intelligible to all. ■M vcgotation flowers, noi- V oi'ganiza- illed spores, r the more active body ing for the has not like n it. TLo n amongst exceptions, nding their Hmall num- branch of 1 all fungi 8 popularly ie parasitic ccssarj'^ for productive, the Horious ss of these tie to draw •een found ho way of lat it was , however, and fertile suite. To cing those ■nestly re- 3n Crops " >n, 1884). 36 in this ch attack Figs 1 to 3 and (I to 7 drawn from natui u by Mi'. Smith are through tho courtoHy of the publihhors taken thorofroni. For Fign. 4 and 5, also by tho samo talented artist, I am indebted to Messrs Kdward "Webb 1*1: Sons, Tho Queen's Sucdmen, Wordslcy, Sloinbridgo, England, who kindly presented mo with elcctiotypcs of iho.so excellent tigures for this bulletin. HARD SMUT, BUNT, STINKING SMUT, SMUT BALLS, Tilletii caries, (Tul.) and T. Imom, (J. Kut-hn). Fig. 1. A. A " Bunted " grain of wlicnt. B. A transverse section of same. *". A lonj^Uudlnal section. (All enlnrged 5 illamcters ) The diseases of wheat known generally in North America ut.dor the name of " Bunt," " Hard Smut," or one of tho other designations mentioned above, are due to tho ravages of two , rasitic fungi be- longing to the fam.iy Tilletvi. At Fig. 1, we have a representation of a " Bunted " kernel of wheat in which the whole of the farinaceous contents of the grain have been destroyed by the invading fungus and their place filled by a b'nck powdery dust — the ripe spores of its reproductive system — sometimes called the fruit. The family to which these parasites belong, was named after a French botanist Matthieu Tillet, who wrote a treatise on the smut diseases of wheat in 1755. Caries, the specific name of the com- monest kind of Hard Smut in Europe, and which may also cause trouble in Canada, signifies, rotten, and is applied to it on account of the unpleasant odour given out when diseased grains of wheat are crushed. Both of tho species mentioned above have at different times received names on account of thin ill-odour. 7'. caries, (Tnl.) was described by one author as Uredo fcetiaa, and 'I', liccis. (J. Kuehnj once received tho very simi' ■• title ul Uatilaijo foitens, as I f IB 1 1 6 am informed by Prof. W. G. Furl kirn ow, of Ilarvuril Univ ersity, who ndly idontiflod for me HpocimcnH of Hint spocios received from the Xo.th WoHt Territories. The fetid odour U n churucter which ron- dors IhoHO diHciKos particularly porniciouH; for not only docs the fiirmcr lose l.y their nivngcs u huge percentage of the grain pro- diiccd, hut the strong odour of the spoies is imparted to the whole crop leaped, and the sound grain is tlius reduced in value to the extent, frequently of from 15c. to 20c. per bushel, by having this casdy detected " stinking smut " amongst it. Som.<(imes instances have come under my notice whore tho whole crop was rendered commercially useless. AVhiJst wheat is growing it is very difficult to delect the presence ot Bunt; for although the vegetative system of tho fungus permeates the whole substance of the wheat-plant attacked, as will be explained further on, it is only in tho young kernel of wheat, which is hidden b3' the chaff, that the characteristic black spores are produced When wheatgrains have been destroyed by Hard Smut they present an unusual external appearance, which is characteristic of the disease. They are shorter and more swollen ( Fig. 1) than in healthy seeds, and from the dark contents showing through the thin Bkm, are of a dull, grccnish-drab colour. They are frequently cracked, as shown at A, when some of the black powdery spores emerge. The figures given herewith show the successive stages in the hfe-history of '/'. canes, to which it is probable those of T, la'vis the commoner North American form, aio very simihr . If some of these spores be placed under a microscope and highly magnified, to 400 diameters, t^y .vill present the appearance shown at Fig. 2. These spores, although apparent- ly so large in the illustration, ai-e in reality so exceedingly small that a single kei-nel of diseased wheat, it is said, will contain four millions of them. The threads >?hown in the figure amongst these spores are portion of the spawn or vegotatiye system of the fungus upon which they were produced. The outer coat of the spores presents, as shown in tho illustration, a beautiful netted appearance, which, however, is wanting in T. Icevis where, as the name indicates, the spores are quite smooth. Fig. 2. •orsity, who ed from Iho • wliich lon- ly (locH tlio I the whole aluo to the having thin B8 instuncos 8 rondorod ic presence pormoates explained h is hidden produced . iJmut they cteristic o^' 1) than in ^h the thin fiequontly ery spores stages in f T. la'vis, If some of ignified, to Fig. 2. apparent- I'ation, ai-e gly small P diseased ntain four 3 threads llie spawn H'oduced . itration, a a T. tei'j's The gci-mination of the hjioios and the production of the complete plant therefrom is much more complicated than is iho growth of a flowering plant from its seed. It will ho found that if one of those spores 1)0 examined after it has heen kepi upon a wet surface for three or four days that it has gorminafcd as shown at Fig. .'{ A. Fig. 3. This figure is still more highly magnified, being enlarged 1000 diameters. At the point A we see that the outer skin of the spore has bui'st and a thick jointed tube is protiudcd. After a time on the end of this tube appear 8 or 10 small protuberances, and upon these again are produced elongated reproductive oi-gans (B). These 8 I^'HlioH although „ocoH«uryorKan«<,f,.op..oduction do not boar tho wind, wo b«Ka„ „u,. o:,„mi„.tio„. I)y I., i o c' aT I l»«.m,„g „„„„„ „, „t and U „y „L„, ;,,h„,,, .uj;" 7^" ! » he-c oonjugatea bodio. d,.„p fl.„ ,„„ .„„p„,,,„^, .Z „„d 1 '„ ij,' »MLiu.m(U) Ihu S|»ralc»„f (ho Second Goimi-alion" Tl,8.„ r,ii,.„. of tho So<-o„d (.onoiution (0) li.ll (■,,„„ ,|,„i,. „„„,,,,„', 2l T im to tho forming needs. ■' • Tlio ripo spores will not grow as long „, thov aro keni d,..- „ when stored away with seod-whoat, ^vhen l.owevo ■ Uni ' o'wu rodTXtl';''"!"'''" '""' "°"''''- "" 'ho'Z ; hat/dll; f.. "P'"™- '""»»' '«' '"'aombered, however of' .It r7 '"* °°°°™ '" """ "" "'» »"• After the Sp L of -he Thn.d Generation have germinated and Iho slender th end uL tlr ;'l l';-'^"""^."- «■■-" "'PWly and branches in eve y di t ton nntd ,t eoM.e» into contact with a yonng wheat nlnnf T, ebange, its na.nre and it, parasitic mlbo--^. It re!^! « I n tlla ';'"T """'■ »"»--. »' l->«th .oaches the seeds contained .n tl.0 ea,. iruct.fleation now t^kes place and the spore, are nro. duced upon numerous small branches. ^ tho?e°of r?^"''""'' ''"""'^'"' "" '""""■ """ »''™««l"i"o„s than those of the o,-d,nary spawn and the spore, arc formed on little W nches wbrch are p,.«,uced laterally. The spores become free by the drying up of the attaching foot-slalks. ^ 9 *^ Thisskotch oftho lifo-luHtory of tlib purahito Jrum tho sporoto tlu» poifect tituto whoro tho Hporoa uro again ropnHlucoii, irt tho usual method in which it gDos through its ditlorontstagos. Under certain (.'ircumHtancoH, however, which trequcntly occur, variutiouH may taico place at any point in its lifo-hihtoiy. SMUT, LOOSE SMUT, DUST-BRAND. ( Ustitago carlo, Tul . ) "Smut," or as it In generally called " Loose Smut," to distinguish it from Bunt or Hard Smut to whicii it iw distantly rolalud, is voiy injiirious to wheat, barley and especially oats, in many ^ ..ris of Canada. Tho general appearances as represented at Fig. 4 is too well known. The scientific name Ustiffigo is derived fron» the Latin word ustus, burnt, and tho spccitic name carho means charcoal. Both nuinos relbr to the appearance of the spore masses •> liun tboy are j)roduccd in the oar. This disease is not of the i^ame serious nature as llaid Smut, from tho faot that tho Hinuitod ears are easily observed and can with a little labom bo all removed and destroyed before many of the spores are dissemi- nated, and because there being no fetid odour omitted by tho spores they do not spoil either the crop of wheat amongst which they grew, or the flour made therefrom. As with Bant so with this Loose Smut, it is evident that the disease begins at tho bottom and works upwards. Our idiistration (Fig. 4) shows us that the lowest spikelets were first attacked, and this is always the case. In all instances when tho spores appear in the injuied ears the spawn may be detected in every part of the plant fi-om the root through the stem to the in- florescence. In nocase, however, can this spawn bo found in parts through which it is not necessary for it to pas.-> in order to reach the point where tho spores are formed, thus they are not found in tho l)lados of the leaves. This smut is not restricted like Bunt to tho seeds alone, but f/ i 10 the whole ear is dostroycd. At D (Fig. 5) is shown a .spik spikelet of Fig. 5. wheat including the chaff, which has been destroyed by smut, and at E^ we have a transverse section of the same. Here wo see that the Zl T. el'^^^^^^ destroyed by the infesting fungus. If. one of the injured scales of chaff be examined under the m^oscope.wil. be found to present the appearance sho" wheie the fungus has burst through the epidermis and brought to ®®® ®® ^^ ®^ ® ^'S^^ enormous numbers of extremely small ® i)® ^Vores. These are much smaller than those ®®^®% ®*/% ''^^""*- ^''''' comparison they are shown # %®| (i® iit Fig. 6 magnified to exac+'y the same ® * x."oo ® ® extent (400 diameters) as the spores of Bunt Fig. 6. shown at Fig. 2. The germination an.l development of these spores differs some- what from those of Bunt. At Fig. 7, the different stages of ger- mmation are illustrated. These are enlarged to the same degree (1000 diameters) as in the case of Bunt at Fio-. 3 When -.cr--^ tion takes place a germ tube is produced as at 1. From this are given off as germmation advances reproductive organs analogous to buds (2 A.A.), which are the Sporules of the^irst Generation These 11 come into contact with similar nporulos and a conjugation talces place of the same nature as that of the Si)oi'ulc8 of the First Generation in Bunt (Fig. 3 CO.), still further growth is shown at 5 and 6. When long germ-tubes are produced, as at 5, they commonly fuse with other germ-tubes, and then a common sporule-bearing tube is produced bearing the Sporules of the Second Generation. This tube is sometimes extremely long and fine and furnished with numerous joints. The spoiulos as produced by these germ-tubes are capable of producing others by budding, till at last large colonies ar^ formed sepaiato from the original spore. The last formed sporules, which are very uncqunl in size, under favourable conditions germinate as at 7 and 8. when the spawn is formed ; this now follows the same course as that described under Bunl. Now all these facts, interesting as they maybe, have little practical bearing unless Ave can draw from them something which may dii-oct 1 whilst othore in close proximity will eho>v „„ sigo ofit ' Mr. Sm.th in tho book before refened to says at d 25'' ■ " rt • ea.yt„p,.„v„ th.tB„„t in wheat ie p,.op.g„,^' '^,f ;„,,/; ! tog™, for if wheat eecd, are dusted with the spores or wate?.^witlf water containing spores, every wheat plant will comrun ^m J -:o:- REMEDIES. Tho nature and life-history of these smut fungi beinc ,s nbov^ wheat grown from treated seed have prod^feed crops of perfttlv clean grmn, whilst close along side of \hem the crop reaped W seed not so protected was materially reduced by the lav Zof 1? parasites. In Cooke and Berkeley's " Fungi their YloTnfl and Uses " p. 225 we find • " R„nf • !u ' ^"^^«"c® " ih. ^k 1 ^. •"" ""* ^^ another pest which occunies the whole farinaceous portion of the grains of wheat. Since dX this pest has been of comparatively little trouble " In the Eeport of the Botani.. to the New York Agricultural Evnn nment Station for 1886 (p. 129) in an armnnf „^"''"'^""''' ^M^e- bv Mr C S PInmK •♦u -i ^ of experiments made oy Ml . o. b. Plumb, with different remedies for smut in oats we finrl as follows :-« m every one of the ten experiments th ZlZ^t * England. 13 All grain for seed should, of course, bo procured as free as possible from smut ; but when there is the slightest doubt about its presence, the trouble and expense of treating the seed are so small that there is no excuse for not doing so. The condition in which the smuts j)ii8s the winter, is in the shape of the minute black npoi'es produced in the oars of wheat. These spores either adhere to the ripe grain of adjacent wheat plants, or falling to the ground remain there, in an undeveloped condition, until the young wheat plant has attained the proper growth for them to begin their attack. By a proper system of rotation of crops, wheat would not be grown again on the same land for about 4 or 5 years, or more, and by this time it is probable that most of the spores from smut upon the previous wheat crop would have perished. The remedies which have been most successful are those in which methods have been adopted, to destroy the spores adhering to the seed-wheat previous to sowing. To accomplish this it is necessary to wash the grain thoroughly or to steep it in some weak poisonous solution, so as either to remove or to destroy the fungous germs without injuring the germinating qualities of the seed, and, moreover, it seems highly probable that a sufficiency of the material used for this purpose will adhere to the seed and protect it against the attack of any spores which may be present in the soil at the time the wheat is sown. Of a great many remedies which have been tried with more or less success, I select the three foTlowing as being in my opinion, the best both for efficiency and convenience. The first and second I have myself frequently tried with manifest success. The third is given on the authority of Mr. Worthington G. Smith. 1. Sulphate of Copper, also called " Bluestone " or " Blue Vitriol." This substance can usually bo procured in any part of Canada from Druggists or General-store Keepers, at about 10 cents per lb. so that the cost of trcatino" seed wiih the stroncrest solution recom- mended below, would not exceed 2^ cents per bushel. The different methods of applying this substance to the grain vary slightly; bUi tha differences are merely with regard to the extent 4 I I '' i P. ^ I I i 14 u^.„. * i. . ... i-J'i^wing. 1 lb. of blueatone d ssolved in '^ bushels. Tho wheat is soaked for 10 minute., or the 10 pin of solution may bo poured over till all is absorbed." ^ exf.!";.^" ""' ^""^'r^ '''^^^'^^omln, N.W.T., who has had considerable ^ZZ'^tr: '' '""^'^^^ ^"^ ''' ^^-^^-^^-^ Terr.: " 1?"' ^t""u '^ ^"'P^"'" '^ ^"PP"^' i« ^'«««l^eJ it^ a pailful of hot vvate,., which as then sprinkled by one person overTo bu.hL of well stiued. Should a large amount of smut be detected in train 'required for seed, the solution is made stronger double the "quantityofbluestone being used." ^ The chief advantage claimed for this method is that in a few hours the gram is sufficiently dry to sow with the drill oz'of slh'^ir'; r ''' ^^"^-•^^^'-P---tal Station, used 4 oz of Sulphate of Copper in one gallon of water, and reports that eeds soaked seventeen and a-half hours in this solution were founi to produce a slight amount of smut. Soaked forty hou s aU germs of the fungus wore killed." ^ It is to be noted that Mr. Plumb's experiments were with oats in which, from the fact that the seed is contained inside a compara- tively loose hu.k, thevo is much more difficulty in removW or destroying all the smut-spores than is the case with the smooh'and naked grains of wheat. u, Hinoom ana -. Brine and Lime, A rem,rfyge„emlly available at counuy f„,.„, Uom,, and from wh.oh gooa resu t. have been secured, is to soak tho grain for iZ llT'^- ': r°,-"'" "'■"""■^ '"■^"S* -«• f°' pickling po," (i.e. m which a fvesh egg will float). If w«I1 ,tirrod n,-,- % .^ 8m„t spore.,, smutty and imperfect grains, &c., will rise if the su,! face, and can be skimmed off and destroyed. After the brine s 16 • poured off, the wheat must be dried by dusting lime over it until all the grains are white. It is claimed that sprinkling the brine on the grain instead of soaking it as above, before dusting it with lime lias been found suc- cess^al ; but I have never tried this method. 3. Alkaline Water. It might happen that none of the above-mentioned materials were obtainable and in such case the mere washing of the seed would be beneficial. Mr. Smith says " as the spores are lighter than water " steeping in brine or even pure water is often effectual, as the spores " float, and are easily washed away. Some alkaline ley should bo " added if water is used, as the oil on the surface of the spores com- " bines with the alkali and forms a soapy substance which is fatal to " effectual spore germination." An alkaline ley suitable for the above purpose may be made by adding to three or four gallons of boiling water, in any suitable vessel, one gallon of hard-wood ashes and stirring frequently until the alkaline properties of the ashes are extracted ; or an alkaline solution of sufficient strength may be made by dissolving about 2 lbs. of ordinary washing soda in a pailful of water.