This information is strongly corroborated by the evi- 

 dence of Mr F. wler of Prestonpans, who has in one year 

 prepared forty bolls of wheat in this way for seed, and 

 who has no doubt of its answering effectually. 



Th. following is the substance of Mr Fowler's infor- 

 mation on this subject : 



r I '" / 



I. The heat applied was 81 of Fahrenheit's thermo- 

 meter. 2. The time of continuance depends upon the 

 construction of the kiln, the quantity of grain dried at a 

 time, and the moisture it contains ; but wheat, in good 

 condition, has generally been taken off as sufficiently 

 dried, after being eight hours on the kiln 3. The heat 

 I have never regulated by a thermometer, but have fixed 

 it as above, from what is given when pale malt is dry- 

 ing, with which it was the same, as nearly as circumstan- 

 ces allowed. My criterion of judging of the wheat was, 

 by the appearance and feel it had, and as was mentioned 

 in Mr Cuthbertson's original communication, eare has 

 always been taken, that the grain should be well dried, 

 without being in the slightest degree scorched. 4. I 

 never had any hesitation in allowing wheat to remain 

 unsown several days after being dried, nor have 1 found 

 this remedy less effectual, on account of its not having 

 been immediately sown ; I do not recollect, however, of 

 ver having occasion to keep it beyond a week. 5. I 

 conceive kiln-drying to be necessary for old as well as 

 new wheat. 6. A considerable field of wheat, entirely 

 free from smut, is, what I believe, has scarcely ever 

 been found, nor is it ever considered materially injuri- 

 ous to the crop, unless it exists to that degree, so as both 

 to affect the colour and quality of the flour, and since the 

 introduction of the threshing-machine, by which the 

 ball is preserved much more entire than by the flail, 



