Show wheat meat smut losses show big increase growers are urged to treat seed before planting As stinking smut of wheat hasin has lias increased in rapidly in the united stater since the war causing greater losses than any other plant i disease wheat growers are arc being u urged to treat their seed with copper carbonato dust before planting as a preventive measure an investigation of conditions la in eastern colorado allowed seven to ten per cent of the wheat crop ruined by smut the past year according to E A lungren of the colorado agricultural college in some cases fields lime have shown as high as 30 to RO 60 per cent smut with consequent losses of ten to twelve dollars an acre smut crin can be prevented by treating the seed wheat before planting with copper carbonate dust dast tip alt plied piled to the grain jn in an airtight air tight mixer the college says this treatment gives practically perfect results not noi only killing the smut spores on the kernels before planting but protecting them from smut infection that may be lif in the sacks or drill the commercially pure copper dust or powder can be mixed with the seed wheat at the ritte rate of two to three ounces ounce or two to three heaping tablespoonfuls ble of powder to the bushel the best method of applying dust dus Is to use a barrel mixer or box fixed in the manner of a cement mixer I 1 since the copper carbonate Is a a I 1 dry treatment tho the seed can be planted immediately after du dusting or held a long time the effect odthe of the treatment la Is moreover seed germination la not injured by the ibe cor cop per carbonate dust treatment |