On Smut in Wheat. 69 



ed turnsole. It emitted the odour of burnt grain by 

 calcination, and left 6 times the usual residuum. — On 

 the whole, he concludes it to be of an animal nature. 

 Had it yielded phosphoric acid, and azotic gas (of which 

 we have no mention) it would have afforded a stronger 

 presumption, though still not a proof of his conclusion. 

 Besides, that singular principle peculiar to wheat, the 

 gluten partakes of the animal nature and yields similar 

 products. Therefore, whether the smut be of an animal 

 or vegetable nature still remains doubtful, and requires 

 several experiments to unfold its real origin, which not- 

 withstanding the experience of many centuries, in 

 which the disease has been in existence, its cause seems 

 still to be entirely unknown. 



I shall suggest to the Society a few experiments, the 

 result of which possibly might afford some new light on 

 this subject. 



Experiment 1. Let a considerable quantity of the 

 smut be collected in a separate state, and a part of it 

 subjected to calcination and distillation in close vessels; 

 and let all the volatile as well as the fixed parts, be mi- 

 nutely examined by chemical tests. 



Exp. 2. Let a portion of the smut be viewed, when 

 placed in the focus of a powerful magnifying glass. 



Exp. 3. Let another portion be kept in a phial half 

 full of water covered with gause to admit air, and ex- 

 clude insects ; and another be sown in a pot of fine 

 mould to try if it will either hatch latent ova, or vege- 

 tate. But upon reconsideration, — parasitical plants are 

 never observed to take root in the earth, as for instance 

 the misseltoe, yet the viscid juice of its berries when 

 ripe, if rubbed on the smooth bark of almost any tree. 



