Ch. X.] STEEPING. 165 



already too much grown in the earth to obtain it from any substance im- 

 mediately surrounding the spot in which the seed is placed, and not amal- 

 gamated witli the soil. The practice is, indeed, not uncommon among 

 gardeners, with a view to accelerate the growth and afford an increased 

 degree of vigour to the young sprouts ; and it is true that the mere immer- 

 sion of the grain for a long time in pure water will have the effect of hasten- 

 ing the growth of the seed. If rain follows immediately, the intention 

 may succeed: it is, therefore, not injudiciously resorted to by gardeners, 

 who sow only small quantities of seed, and can either clioose their time, or 

 re-sow if it fails ; but it is a dangerous plan for farmers who work upon a 

 large scale, for if dry weather continue, the seed will probably perish. 



From what has been thus stated of the manifest good effects of steeping 

 wheat, there can be no doubt that it is an operation which should never be 

 omitted. 



Machines for cleaning wheat have also been used upon the principle of 

 the fanner ; and one has been lately invented by Mr. Tuxford, which is said 

 to rid it of all the impurities and refuse which may have been left after the 

 usual operation of winnowing. It is described as acting by the means of 

 sieves, which may be attached either to a thrashing mill, or to any moving 

 power equal to much less strength than that of a horse ; and it is said that 

 one man can attend upon twelve sieves, each cleaning the corn at the 

 rate of one quarter per hour. It is, however, attended with this material 

 objection : that the setting up of a machine of the smallest size, containing 

 three sieves, and occupying a space of nine feet by seven, costs no less 

 than sixty-five guineas*. 



Unless other means be taken to guard against infection, the farmer can, 

 however, never be secure against the communication of the contagion, even 

 after all these operations have been carefully performed. It has been truly 

 observed, that many farmers have felt themselves disappointed in not having 

 their wheat crops clear of smut, after being at the trouble and expense of 

 changing the seed, as well as brining it : not being aware of the infectious 

 nature of the disease, and that the very means they were taking to clean the 

 seed was perhaps the cause of its being inoculated with smut; for, after the 

 process of pickling is performed, the grain is generally spread on the barn 

 floor to dry, and probably on the same floor on whicli smutty wheat had 

 been previously thrashed ; or perhaps it is put into sacks which held in- 

 fected corn. Farmers have, indeed, been known to sow the same wheat 

 for a series of years, with very little preparation, and yet to have no smut in 

 their crops ; while others who have carefully cleansed their seed from every 

 appearance of infection, have had their crops destroyed. This is generally 

 attributed to the soil, or the state of the atmosphere; but it is moreprobablv 

 owing to want of attention to the contagious nature of the powder, and its 

 being allowed to adhere to sacks or barns with which it had been infected, 

 and which, therefore, should be frequently and carefully cleansed. It at- 

 taches itself also to the straw and chaff, and is thus probably carried from 

 the barn or stable door when the dung is taken green to the fields without 

 being properly turned and fermented. The infection may, indeed, be com- 

 municated by the wind from other fields, and in various ways which cannot 

 be guarded against ; but it is fool-liardy to run any risk that can be avoided, 

 and no one who is duly sensible that the disease may be checked, if not 

 wholly eradicated, by careful attention, should hesitate to employ all those 



* See the New Farm. Mag. for August, 1832, which contains a full description of the 

 machine, with a plate. Also the Bedfordshire Rep., for the plate of an implement 

 called " the Smut Macliiue," 



