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New Disease in JVJieat. 



The following communications have been received 

 upon an alarming disease in wheat which has appeared 

 in Maryland, and threatens to be attended with the most 

 serious consequences unless speedily checked. 



Read June 9th, 1807. 



Elkton, August lOt/i, 1807. 



Sir^ 



I acknoM'ledge the receipt of your favour of the 4th 

 instant. It is with pleasure I anticipate the great use 

 your society may be of to the farming interest. 



I have nothing to communicate worthy of notice but 

 a disease that has been for three years past in partial 

 spots of my wheat. I call it a decay in the root. Land 

 recently manured, or where old buildings have been, 

 or where stacks of hay, or fodder houses have been 

 fed from in fields, or land manured with scraping about 

 doors, with a mixture of ashes, are the parts most af- 

 fected with this pernicious distemper. 



From the first to the tenth of March, the wheat affect- 

 ed declines in colour, its blade dwindles and draws toge- 

 ther, resembling a bunch of sage. The principal tap 

 root decays, small fibrous roots grow out, and small 

 sprouts also grow up, seldom more than 6 inches high ; 

 which do not incUne to stalk. In this state, the injured 

 wheat continues till harvest. 



Many of our farmers complain of this same distemper 

 in their wheat and generally in their best lands. Where 



