To prevent Mildew in Wheat. 397 



water to boil, slack the lime with it, and tlien add the rest of the 

 water. When joined, the heat of the water should be such that 

 the hand could with difficulty bear it. Pour the lime-water upon 

 the corn placed in a tub, stirring it incessantly, at first with a 

 stick and afterwards with a shovel. The liquid should at first 

 cover the wheat three or four fingers breadth : it will soon be 

 absorbed by the grain. In this state let it remain, covered over, 

 for 24 hours; but turning it over five or six times during the 

 day. Such of the liquor as will drain off is then to be separated; 

 when the corn, after standing a few hours, in order that it may 

 run freely out of the hand, may be sown. — If not intended to be 

 used immediately, the limed wheat should be put in a heap, and 

 moved once or twice a day till dry. 



Experience has proved that limed grain germinates sooner than 

 unhmed ; and as it carries with it moisture sufficient to develop 

 the embryo, the seed will not suffer for want of rain ; insects will 

 not attack it, the acrid taste of the lime being offensive to them : 

 and as every grain germinates, a less quantity is rccpaisite. In 

 fact, the grain being swelled, the sower, filling his hand as usual, 

 will, when he has sown 65 of limed corn, have in reality only 

 used 52. 



As blighted grains preserve, for a long time, the power of ger- 

 minating ; the careful farmer whose corn has been touched, 

 should carefully sweep out the crevices in the walls and cracks in 

 the floors of his barn, and take great pains to clean them tho- 

 roughly : for the blight is so highlv contagious, that from a single 

 grain will grow enough to blight an ear, which in its turn may 

 infect a field, and at length cause the loss of the crop of a whole 

 country, as was the case [in France] in 1/84 and 17SS. 



TO PREVENT MILDICW IN WHEAT. 



Salt one part, water eight parts. With this mixture sprinkle 

 the diseased corn. Where the corn is sown in drills, this may 

 be done with a watering-pot; but the best and most expeditious 

 mode is with a flat brush, such as white-washers use, having a 

 tin collar made water-tight round the bottom, to prevent the 

 mixture dropping down the operator's arm, and running to waste. 

 The operator having a pail of salt and water in one hand, and 

 dipping the brush into the mixture with the other, makes his re- 

 gular casts, as when sowing corn broadcast; in this way he will 

 readily get over ten acres in the dav. About two hogsheads will 

 do one acre : wherever the mixture touches, in three or four days 

 the mildew will disappear; upon those parts that escape, the 

 sprinkling must be repeated. If judiciously cast, the mixture 

 falls in dropb as uniformly as rain. 



