Jl6. Rtv. Air. KiRSv'i Obferviitions upon certain Fungi 



to call it, than others, nothing fatisfaftoty can be deduced from 

 fuch experiments as are tried in different fields, where the foil^ 

 afpeiV, or mode of cultivation and management, might be different. 

 Mr. Bryant's method of accounting for this difordcr is certainly in- 

 genious, but founded upon no arguments which can convin;:e one 

 who is in fearch not of theories but of truth. That the pradlice of 

 dreffing the feed previous to fowing, in the way above mentioned, is 

 a very effeftual preventive of the Brand, will appear fufficiently evi- 

 dent, when I proceed to lay before the Linnean Society the refult 

 of fome experiments made by my ingenious and accurate friend 

 the Rev. Peter Lathbury, F. L. S. Upon my informing him that I 

 was going to put together a few obfervations upon the fubjeft, lie 

 very obligingly allowed me the ufe of his memorandum-book, which 

 alfo related another very decifive experiment, upon a large fcalc, 

 made by a gentleman of his acquaintance. I,t was in confcquence 

 of reading Mr. Bryant's treatife that Mr. Lathbury and this gentle- 

 man made their experiments. To thefe I fhall add a few inftanccs, 

 out of many, that have fallen within my own knowledge. 



Mr. Lathbury procured two fmall parcels of wheat, one from a 

 clean fample not at all infected by the Brand, and the other from 

 one which it had much injured. Each parcel he divided into four 

 equal portions, and prepared for fowing as follows, dreffing one por- 

 tion from each parcel in the fame manner. The firll: he waflicJ 

 carefully with fpring water, and wiped with a foft dry cloth. The 

 next he dipped in ftrong white wine vinegar, and allowed to dry 

 upon a llieet of writing paper.. A third he covered with fait water 

 taken from the river; and after letting it remain in it for twelve 

 hours, he wiped it as the firfl-. The fourth portions were not drefled 

 at all. The wheat from the clean fample was planted on one fide of 

 bis garden, and that from the branded one on another. When he 



ibwedi 



