RUST ON WHEAT.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 78, 13 March 1883, Page 3

RUST ON WHEAT.

«, The yellow or orange-coloured dust that forms -on the leaves and stems of wheat shortly b.fore reaping time, . is caused by a minute fungus. The fungus-plant attacks the wheat son-e weeks before it makes its appearance, and fills the interior substance of the leaves and stems with its fine threads, these threads act as roots, by < means of which the fungus or rustplant obtains its nourishment Irom the substance of the growing wheatplant Tiiere is no remedy for the rust after it has once appeared upon - the surface of the wheat. The most effective preventive is blue vitri>l or ; blue-stone (sulphate of copper), two or three ounces of this salt to a bushel of the wheat. The wheat is soaked ia the; ; brine for a short time before sowing. i There has been so much energy ex- ■ pended in the endeavour to find some : variety ot wheat that is rust-proof. Pro. Brewer, who has charge of the grain statistics in the late American :: •' census, finds many districts where a ; " variety of wheat has sprung up, that; ' for a year or so as almost rust-proof,. : but afterwards it becomes infested tne ! same as other -sorts. As a precaution, it s well to burn the stubble, thus : destroying many spores that would otherwise germinate an i continue the ; pest- — Exchauo*.