^4 Oh the Sin u t of I Vh ca t . Fch . 



the back-bandsj which, of courfe, occaflons an augmentation of 

 Irlftlon and drauglit. This is one reafon why fo much power 

 is required ; and another reafon may be alligned, viz. that if 

 the fiirure is exa6l, the coulter is two inches higher placed than 

 iicceiVarv ; therefore, inl^ead of cuttin?;, can only tear the ground 

 \\^. All which thincs ferve to ihew the imperfection of the 

 StafTordlhire wheel plougli. 



TO THE CONDUCTOR OF THK ^ARMER's MAGA:*IN£. 



On the Smut ofWljeat, 



Sir, 



Having lately perused a communication by the late Sir 

 John Call, to the Board of Agriculture, on the smut, or black 

 in wheat, I am inclined to make a few remarks on the subject ;. 

 because his experiments, in my humble apprehension, not on- 

 ly throw a new light on the matter, but differ entirely from 

 rhit of your corrcopondenl, A. Z. in your magazine of April 

 i8ci. 



Both are agreed, that, this disease proceeds from small in- 

 sects, animalcuia, bred in the ear af the wheat, and in this I 

 am disposed to acquiesce. Yet there are philosophers that 

 attribute it to minute parasitical plajrils, which they have dis- 

 covered adhering to the smutted ears ; though these are pro- 

 hably not the cause, but bred there in consequence of the rot- 

 tenness of these iinuttcd ears. 



The followers of the latter doctiine, believing that the 

 smut is propogated by the seeds of these minute plants, re- 

 commend washing the wheat intended for seed ; and some 

 tiiink it should also be strewed wiih quick lime, before it is 

 ^jy after such washing. 



Your correspondent, A. Z. also advises that seed-wheat 

 should be washed. But all seem aware, that steeping seed 

 in pickles of common sak, or stale urine, is attended with 

 daiiger, and in some instances has occasioned the loss of the 

 whole seed-corn. 



Let it, however, be granted, tliat washing will carry off 

 the minute seeds of such parasitical plant's deposited amongst 

 the grain, still a difficulty occurs as to the utility of washing. 

 For, it 'is certain tliese small plants affect only the green ears, 

 but do not affect the grain town,, or the roots of the wheat. 

 Indeed, sometimes from the same root arise a smutted and 

 ur.fimutted stalk ; and even in tlic same ear there are found 

 sometimes smutted and unsmutted grains.. How then can it 

 reasonably be believed that the smutted ears are derived from 

 seed of minute plants, sown in tlic ground with the seed- . 



wheal ? 



