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Remarks on the foregoing^ with additional Observations oii 

 Smuty and the means of preventing it. By James 

 Mease, M. D. 



Read November 11th, 1806. 



From the first fact mentioned by Mr. Young, viz- 

 that the smutty wheat he raised, was part of a kind 

 which had been sown for several years upon the same 

 ground, an apparent confirmation may seem to be given 

 to the commonly recei\ ed opinion, of the necessity of 

 a change of seed in order to prevent disease and dege- 

 neracy, but the experience of the accurate Mr. Cooper 

 of New Jersey, and other facts on this subject, will not 

 permit its adoption. That industrious improver has 

 found, that the seeds of his vegetable productions im- 

 prove instead of degenerating, although sown upon the 

 same ground for various periods, viz. 20, 30, 45 years. 

 His account being before the public,* need not be dwelt 

 on at this time. Mr. Bakewell, the celebrated improver 

 of the breed of cattle in England, disproved the position 

 of the necessity of crossing breeds merely for the sake 

 of a cross, and hence constantly bred in and in, from his 

 own excellent stock, until he found one with peculiar 

 qualities which he wished to add to those of his own 

 stock. 



The cause of smut in Mr. Young's wheat must still 

 be sought for, but what that cause is may not be easily 

 ascertained. The disease has prevailed to a great de- 



* It is also inserted in this Volume. 



