BLtfclJT IN CORN. \^ 



p. 13. (or 22S Journal.) Where the prefident fays', < ( though 

 diligent enquiry was made during the laft autumn, no informa- 

 tion of importance relative to the origin or the progrefs of the 

 blight could be obtained ! this is not to be wondered at, for as 

 no one of the perfbns applied to had any knowledge of the 

 real caufe of the malady, none of them could direct their 

 curiofity to the real channel. Now that its nature and caufe 

 have been explained, we may reafonably expect that a few 

 years will produce an interefting collection of facls and ob- 

 servations, and we may hope that fome progrefs will be made 

 towards the very defirable attainment of either a preventive 

 or a cure." page 14. 



Having thus advanced in the examination as far as the Country names 



feafon would afford* I thought it would be beft to afcertain in °{ the dlfeafe$ °* 



i wheat. 



the county in which I happened to be placed, the terras 



(intirely overlooked in the pamphlet) there applied to the 



different difeafes of corn ; and here it foon appeared that the 



terms are not univerfal. 



The firft blight (for there are many) is that early appear- Firft: blight; at 

 ance of intirely decayed ears, of plants apparently in a "V^f*? by , . 

 healthy Hate, but which, in the embrio which lays within the gra i n 1S turned 

 upper (heath, before the ear is develloped, has turned to a t0 ?»wder. 

 brown puce-coloured powder. This by fome has been fuppofed 

 to originate from defective feed, but furely improperly ; for 

 many of thefe ears are found to be the fined and large.ft in the 

 field in their embrio ftate ; and to me it feems evident, that 

 they are imperfect from a really defective parturition, owing 

 to fome accidental circumftance ; or poflibly (for they generally 

 ftand below the others) from the want of fun to unclofe the 

 upper (heath at a critical moment. 



Thefe ears are alfo in general found to be crooked at the The ears are 



root of the ear (talk, owing to the effort to raife the ear acling u ^ ll r cto °^ 

 • i • i n t , i i it at bottom, &c. 



witnin the (heath on a decayed and mouldy ear ; but it appears 



that they are all at length ejected from the (heath, and the 



brown duft blown compleatly away, fo that the (talk at laft 



remains without a (ingle grain on it, (landing up like a bare and 



barren pole. In this manner many ears at firft perifh, but the 



quantity is feldom any objeft to the farmer. 



Of the puce*coloured powder a quantity was collected: it Appearance of 



had no fmell, but felt foft to the touch, like whiting, though ^Xc^no'* 



more greafy. An attempt was made to innoculate a number infeai«n, 



L2 «f 





