Chap. XV. DISTEMPERS OF CORN. 8j 



red, and others black, which are found in great numbers in the 

 ears of wheat. He fufpedled that thefe infefts feed on a fweetilh 

 juice, which is in the ear whilft green. As M. Tillet was at firft 

 of opinion, that they might do confiderable damage to the grain, he 

 followed with great attention all their metamorphofes, of which he 

 has given a full account in the before mentioned memoir. 



Though infedts, and other enemies to corn, whilft in the granary, 

 do not properly belong to the prefent fubjedl, we beg leave to give 

 the fojlowing account, which was fent to M. Duhamel by a gen- 

 tleman of Angoumois. 



" The great iofs, fays he, which we have fuffered in this pro- 

 ** vince in our corn, and efpecially our wheat, for feventeen or 

 ** eighteen years paft, has put us upon making ftridl inquiries into 

 ** the caufes of a corruption with which our grain is infefted. The 

 " common opinion is, that when the corn is in bloom, that is to 

 " fay in the month of June, fmall white butterflies lay their eggs 

 " in the flowers. When the grain is ripe, the eggs are inclofed in 

 " it. As foon as the corn is laid up to be kept, it is found to 

 ** ferment. This fermentation raifes a heat, which hatches the 

 " eggs, whence little worms proceed, which are transformed into 

 ♦• chryfalides, and thefe are afterwards metamorphofed into little 

 *• grey butterflies, or moths. In this ftate they quit the grain, 

 " which is then void of flower. This infeft not only fpoils the 

 '* grain in which it is hatched, but likewife communicates a moft 

 ** difagreeable fmell to all the grain near it ; a fmell which is 

 " fometimes fo flrong and naufeous, that fowls, and even hogs, 

 «' will not eat the grain. 



" Others impute it to the mahze, or Turkey wheat, which is 

 " fown in great quantities in this province, and which Ipreads its 

 *' roots fo far, and fo impoverilhes the earth, that other corn 

 " fown after it, in the fame ground, can find no nourifliment. 

 " This is not probable : for it could only alter the quality of the 

 " grain, but not bring on an entire putrefaftion. — The two fol- 

 " lowing experiments were tried to prevent it. 



" A farmer had three or four acres of land which had been 

 " under grafs for more than fixty years. He had plowed and 

 " dunged it well. He had his feed from Poitou ; and, in fhort, 

 " took every precaution to guard againft this contagion. The 

 *• wheat ripen'd and was very good. He cut it down rn a dry 

 ** feafon, threlhed it in the open air, and cleanfed and winnowed 



" it 



