120 Rev. Mr. Kirby'j Obfeivjt'wns upon certain Fungi 



bury's experiments it appears, that the fimple wafliing of the feed 

 with water, if it be carefully wiped, anfwers all the end of fteeping 

 in n more expenfive preparation. This perhaps could not be done 

 with fufficient care and accuracy upon a large fcale, otherwife the 

 inofl: funple and leafl: expenfive method is certainly the beft, and all 

 that feeras to be wanted previous to fowing is thoroughly to cleanfe 

 the feed from the Brand duft that adheres to it. Probably wetting 

 the feed with water, and afterwards drying it with frcili flaked lime, 

 would anfwer every purpofe. 



The fiippofition that the Brand is produced by infe£ls is not fup- 

 ported by one fa^l or experiment that I have ever heard of: indeed, 

 the fingle circumftance that the diforder originates with the feed, 

 and from thence pafTes by fome unknown channel into the plant, 

 entirely overturns it. I fliall not therefore lofe time by dwelling 

 upon it, but proceed further to eftablilh the third opinion, that the 

 diforder is occafioned by a vegetable fubftance. The fa6l eftabliflied 

 bv the above experiments, that the duft of Brand, carried into the 

 /ield with the feed wheat, like other vegetables propagates itfelf, 

 rives the higheft degree of probability to this opinion ; which is ftill 

 •further confirmed by the refult of Mr. Lathbury's experiment of . 

 fowing it as it were upon its native foil (efpecially in the cafe of 

 wheat taken from a clean fample), which feems to have occafioned 

 the deftruclion of three- fourths of its produce. This is as decifive a 

 proof as can be defired of its being a vegetable. But what I think 

 places the matter beyond all doubt, is that this duft, when put under 

 a powerful magnifier, exhibits every appearance of minute feed. 

 1 happened to take fome duft from branded grains, I think laft 

 year, which I laid by for future infpe£lion. After I had begun this 

 Paper, I ftrewcd fome of that duft upon a piece of glafs; and putting 

 it under a very ftrong magnifier over a refleilor, I was highly grati- 

 fied 



