164 ON THE RUST OR 



in the spring ; maintained excessive luxuriance, 

 but which was ultimately so reduced by rust, as 

 to be rendered weak and incapable of bringing 

 its seed to perfection : at the same time, and close 

 alongside ; I also planted wheat in a pure and 

 sweet sand, and supplied it with a solution or 

 infusion of rotten dung, by way of food ; this 

 never appeared half so luxuriant as the other, 

 but the stalks or straw grew perfectly healthy, 

 and free from disease, and the grain was of good 

 quality. 



The following statement by Sir John Sinclair, 

 as well as what has been already quoted, will in 

 every respect be found to corroborate and sus- 

 tain my observations and opinions. 



He says, " As land in too rich a state is apt to 

 <* produce rust, it is found to be an effectual 

 *' remedy, if previous to a crop of wheat the 

 " dung is applied to a smothering crop, as tares, 

 " hemp. &c. Indeed after cole seed, wheat is 

 " scarcely ever known to be rusted. The gene- 

 <* ral culture of that article, and the use of Dutch 

 " ashes impregnated with saline matter, as a 

 " manure, tends greatly to the exemption from 

 " rust, by which, wheat in Flanders is distin- 

 ** guished. 



" Potatoes, when the crop is large, have the 

 *' same effect j in Flanders, where the wheat is 



