PREVENTION OF RUST IN WHEAT.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1090, 19 June 1879, Page 2

PREVENTION OF RUST IN WHEAT.

The 'Darling Downs Gazette ' (Toowoornba, Queensland), of Nov. 9th last, has the following : — ' In your columns I have more than once seen the treatment of seed -wheat with carbolic acid described, as used m England and m various parts of America ; but I fancy farmers may be inclined to say England and America are far-away places, and too • distant for us to visit to judge for ourselves. But if such should be their objection, I am happy to state that this season a trial has been made on the Downs with carbolic acid, and as yet there is every prospect of the experiment being attended with success. I would advise farmers to watch the result and judge for themselves. Messrs Archer and Sons, of Emu Oreek, I am sure would only be too glad to give any inquirer all the information they are m possession of m reference thereto. The Messrs Archer state that corresponding with their friends m Warwickshire, England, last year, they, amongst other matters, incidentally mentioned how sadly the farmers of Queensland were pestered with rust. The friends of the Archers, m replying to the letter, stated that m England rust was not unknown, but m the agricultural coun.ty of Warwickshire, carbolic acid had been tried with good effect, and m that country there is now but' little fear of rust. It is asserted that the treatment of seed wheat with carbolic acid will increase the yield and improve the quality of wheat, and impart to the straw a peauliar brightness. It is likewise a sure preventive of smut, and successfully keeps off insects of all kinds. The flattering accounts received by the Messrs Archer and Sons, of Emu Creek, determined them to try its efficacy on a small scale. They hud a fine patch of barley well out m the ear that was badly affected by rust ; they cut it down with a view to its conversion into hay, leaving 1 a small patch of the very rustiest of the barley standing ; this patch, when opportunity served, they dug up, digging m the susty barley m the process, and the 11th of June sowed some white lammas Avheat(inthis ground) that had previously been dressed with carbolic acid ; and lam happy to say that, notwithstanding the severe test it has been put to, it has successfully stood the trial. Owing to the late drought, the wheat laid sixty-five days m the ground without germinating. It is now looking flue and healthy, and I trust it may continue so. However, I feel very sanguine as to its success, and trust the results will not disappoint my anticipations. Mr Archer's method of treatment is as folkrws: — Use No. 5 carbolic acid; four ozs. to two gallons of water (cost of carbolic acid, 9d) ; this quantity is sufficient 'for four bushels of wheat. No bluestone or anything else is required. Method- of application: — Spread a sheet of tarpaulin on the ground, place the wheat thereon, which spread well out ; then apply the mixture through the nozzle of an ordinary -watering-pot, taking care to distribute the solution fairly over all the wheat ; then mix the wheat thoroughly with a shovel, so that no seed will escape being saturated or moistened with the mixture; if this is done at night, the seed may be sown next morning. There is no fear of the carbolic acid destroying the germinating poAver of the wheat. In the event of rain setting m and preventing immediate sowing, it can, with safety, bo kept a few days without injury. At all events, so sanguine am I of the result, that I purpose sowing next year at least ten acres of wheat, subjecting the seed sown to treatment with No. 5 carbolic acid, and I would strongly advise farmers to freely use the acid Avith their seed Avheat next season.