Show Treat Tr Ti t S Seed It j Increase Yield y y Gain of 1 to 12 Bush Bushels l of r Corn Per Eer Acre Reported in Corn Belt Prepared by the United States Department i of Agriculture For Forc five c cents an acre farmers fathers Inthe Inthe In hi the central portion of the corn belt can treat their seed aced corn with a chemical dust that will largely prevent prevent pre pro yent vent losses caused by seed seed-b seed borne rn rne seedling blight organisms according to A A A. A G. G JolT Joli son sou cereal pathologist of f the United States Department of Agriculture In tes tests conducted by J. J T. T IU n. Holbert of the department in o operation wl with h Doctor Koehler of the Illinois Agricultural E Experiment station and Doctor Reddy of the Iowa Iown Agricultural Experiment station seed seed- corn treatment has resulted In Increased Increased In In- creased yields of from 1 to 12 bushels on no acre I Treatment Explained The treatment consists In mixing the dust disinfectant with the dry shelled seed at the rate of two ounces to the the bushel Doctor Johnson estimates estimates esti estl mates tie to total l cost cost of i treating a 0 bushel pf of f seed or eno enough gh for eight acres will Q not rot t. t exceed 4 40 cents e ts or or l 5 cents an nn aC acre The Th dust Is app applied led ledwIth with a a mixing machine machi ie of the type nse in treating WILLI copper carbonate dust dust for smut smut A A- ml mixer er c can can n be be made nt at home ff j if others are are not not not- available An ordinary b barrel rr l lor or- or or oil ol drum lr n mounted on on onan an axis will VIII serve ser as as' as n a- a mixer or a n barrel churn zany may be uSe used useI The The dust should should be thoroughly l applied so that every kernel kernel ker ker- nel Is cov covered red with a thin coating Thc c seed Q ca can be tre treated t anytime time Ie before before be be- fore ore planting g but should be- be stored stored- In Iii a a. safe place because the dust Is poisonous Although numerous dust disinfectants disinfectants disinfect disinfect- ants have e been tested only three are commercially available at the pres present nt time They Tiley are described In Circular C 84 Dust Seed Treatments for Dent Corn Com Just Issued by the department an and are nrc known as Bayer dust Improved Jr and ind Merko Names and addresses of the firms manufacturing these dusts are are re given ghen in the circular The recent tests show that treatment treat treat- ment mont with these chemical dusts benefits benefits benefits bene bene- fits diseased seed and does not Injure good seed While treatment ma may not increase yields from good healthy I clean seed such treatment will wUl kill certain seed borne organisms and prevent losses which their presence might otherwise cause Even en many yielding high strains of corn corn throughout through through- out the lie the corn belt thought to be healthy frequently carry an appreciable appreciable amount of infection with certain J tam tain fungous parasites Such seed ma may result In a poor stand in blighted plants tants or In plants that fall fail to grow and yield normally Yield of Diseased ased Seed At the Illinois station seed that was vas known to be diseased ga gave e a yield of bushels per acre when hen untreated and when treated gave a yield of bushels or an increase of 12 bushels to the acre At the sa Bame e station seed that was pronounced pronounced prod pro pro- d good d made a yield of neis treatment out but when treated yielded bushels or an Increase In In- crease Cease of 19 bushels per acre The fact that corn from diseased seed Beed was benefited by seed treatment should not be taken as an argument nt In favor or of inferior seed sa says sas s the de de- de- de Rather It shows the ira of treating Inferior see seed when such seed has to be used In order or der er to secure as high yields as pos pos- sible The low cost says sars Doctor Johnson and the ease of or application should make seed treatment appeal to ni al corn growers In the central portion of the corn belt wl where ere its beneficial ef effects ef- ef have been proved A copy of Circular 34 C may be obtained by by writing to the United States Department of Agriculture Washington D. D C. C |