[ 3^5 ] 



is indifferent, but repeated ftirring and change of 

 water is effential to remove the pofiible particles of 

 infection that may have imperceptibly adhered to the 

 feed: Thus purified, the fubfequent crop will be per- 

 feft in itfelf, and its feed (I am perfuaded) fucceffively 

 fo likewife, if there are no adjacent fields from whence 

 this contamination may be wafted. Before I give you 

 a feries of experiments which have confirmed to me 

 the complete cure of the difeafe in queftion, permit 

 me to obferve, that many years fince, believing that 

 this corrupt fubftance of fmut occafioned its perpe- 

 tuation, I took fome grains of wheat from a (lock 

 that had been known not to be aftecl:ed with fmutj 

 thefe grains I blackened with its dufi, and the fuc- 

 ceeding fummer confirmed my opinion, as near half 

 the produce was fmut-balls. Here I flopped, and in 

 my own fmall pra£lice ufed fome of the flrongly re- 

 commended noftrums that were faid always to effeft 

 a cure, and which apparently they did, as I uniformly 

 deeped the grain in rain water, before I made the 

 addition of a difguftful fluid, or commixture of I 

 know not what ftrange fubftances. 



About two years fince, I was called upon by an 

 intelligent farmer (Roger Treffry) of Devonfliire, 

 who conjidcntially (becaufe he had a fubfcription in 

 view) laid this fimple procefs before me; I was im- 

 mediately convinced, by comparing what I had prac- 

 tifcd with the principle he advanced. 



I thea 



