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- Elkton, June 24th, 1810. 
Read August 14th, 1810. 
Gentlemen, 
A few years ago, I informed you of a distemper in 
my wheat, which I call a decay in the root, others call 
it sedge wheat. This malady continues with an increas- 
ing spread. 
From information that on land where the red chaff 
had been destroyed, the white wheat would succeed, 
by sowing it the next rotation of crops. 
Last fall I tried the experiment, on about two acres, 
in a field that had been destroyed three years ago, by 
sowing part of the land that had been affected with red 
chaff and part with white wheat. The red chaff laii- 
guid: white recovering. 
From about the 15th of March to the middle of May, 
the whole appeared nearly dead, or what is generally call- 
ed sedge wheat. At present the white wheat is making 
considerable progress; and if it ripens clear of rust, may 
be half a crop, while the red chaff, dont seem to recover. 
As there must be a cause for effects, my hypothesis, or 
reasoning on this subject is, that it is well known that 
the red chaff bearded wheat, dont stool or throw up as 
many stalks from the root, as other wheat, it requires 
more seed to produce a crop equally thick, of course, 
may not put out as many side roots, but depends more 
on the main tap root for nourishment. 
The tap root being injured, prevents its recovering, 
as other wheats do. This may be the cause of the red 
