SMUTS. 81 



will also avail for another, and while cleaning it of 

 the spores of " smut/^ those of " bunt " will also be 

 removed. The facts that we rely upon chiefly as 

 indicating the remedy are that the spores are only 

 superficially in contact with the seed corn, and that 

 they are of less specific gravity, causing them to 

 float on the sm^face of any fluid in which the corn 

 may be immersed. Again, the spores of many 

 species of fungi will not germinate after saturation 

 with certain chemical solutions. One of the most 

 successful and easy of application is a strong solu- 

 tion of Glauber^s salts, in which the seed corn is to 

 be washed, and afterwards, whilst still moist, dusted 

 over with quick-lime. The rationale of this process 

 consists in the setting free of caustic soda by the 

 sulphuric acid of the Glauber^s salt combining with 

 the lime, and converting it into sulphate of lime. 

 The caustic soda is fatal to the germination of the 

 spores of " bunt,^' and probably also of " smut ; '* 

 although, as already intimated, except in cases 

 where these afiections of the corn are very preva- 

 lent, we shall be informed by the agriculturist that 

 the cost of labour in the prevention will not be com- 

 pensated in the cure. 



Experience has also taught us that many fungi 

 flourish in proportion to the wetness of the season, 

 or dampness of the locality. A wet year is always 

 exceedingly prolific in fungi, and a dry season corre- 

 spondingly barren, at least in many kinds, whilst 

 others, as the experience of 1864 has convinced us, arc- 



a 



