v^4g »LIGHT IN C0RW. 



of other found ears with it; by rubbing it on the leaves, by 

 giving friction to the ftraw itfelf with it, by inferting it into 

 the ears, by placing it beneath the fhealhs, and laftly, by in- 

 troducing it into the_pith of Several ftraws, — each of thefe in 

 wet and dry weather, but nothing took any effect. It fell 

 The firft blight harmlefs :-— but one difcovery arofe from examining the ears 

 from "an extcr- * n w kich lt was produced, viz. that corn is capable of being 

 jul caufe. completely blighted without any external difeafe or applica- 



tion. For all the ftraws were without blemifh as well as the 

 leaves, and confequently we have no occafion to recur to 

 external caufes for this internal decompofition. 



Wheat in this ftate I drew very accurately, and fent fpeci- 



mens of it to town in this condition to Mr* Nicholfon ; and 



thus ended the firft blight as it is called in Somerfetfiiire, but 



which might poffibly be with more propriety termed the 



mildeiv. 



Second difeafe. The next difeafe appears in thofe ears which ftand ereft and 



grains, contain- ft a " n g» indicating their lightnefs by their attitude. Although 



ing only a dark on gathering they appear full of corn, they turn out in effect 



jithv finell! *° ^ e ^ °^ a ^ ar ^ P ovvc ^ er that has the fmell of ftale lobfters 

 or fhrimps, when prefled between the fingers. This powder 

 on examination by the microfcope (hews fome faccharine con- 

 cretions among it, but it has none of the actual properties of 

 wheat. Upon carefully examining thefe grains the outer ffein 

 was difcovered to be i?iUre t imperforated, perfectly* green, and 

 perfectly full ; — yet ftrange to tell, if it be not really the work 

 of infetts, one half of an ear was often found to be thus 

 imutty while the other half was found. 



Mechanlcalin- Amon? other conjectures, it was thought that this fmutty 



jurvdidnot ... r . , .. r , . . „ , ° „ . . . J 



produce this diieaie migh-t ante from the juices of the ltraw being inter- 

 ciifeafe. cepted by accidents. In order therefore to try what could be 



effected by injuries done to the fap, I bound fome ears, 

 wounded others by preffure, divided fome with a knife near 

 the ftera, marking each by cutting off the beards with fciffars; 

 yet I never found any fuch effect produced, as either fmut, 

 or even decay, and all the ears thus injured came very well to 

 maturity. Here were real injuries, and committed at a time 

 (June) when the ears were by no means far advanced, and 

 this led me ftill lefs to expect any great effect from a little 

 partial mofs adhering to the item, the accidental effects of the 

 neafon at a later period. 



& At 



