Chap. XV. DISTEMPERS OF CORN. 89 



s M u r. 



THE grains of fmutty corn are tender, and filled with a black 

 {linking powder, inftead of the white flour which found grain 

 contains. As thefe grains are very eafily broke, they fpread their 

 powder on the found grains, which having on their extremity a 

 little tuft of hairs, the powders ftick there. Farmers dilTiinguiHi 

 the wheat thus vitiated, by faying that it is blacked in the point, 

 (in French qiiil a le bout) and bakers avoid it, becaufe it gives their 

 bread a violet or purple hue. 



As foon as the llalks begin to rife, if the blades arc opened fo as to 

 difcover the young ear, it will be found to be already diilempered ; 

 and in this cafe, the pith or infide of the ftalk likewife appears 

 fometimes black. 



As foon as the ear appears out of the covering which the blades 

 form, it looks fhrunk. All the coverings of the grain are fo altered 

 and fiirivelled, that the fmut appears through them. As the powder 

 in fuch grains has little cohelion, it is eafily waflied away by the 

 rains, or carried off by the wind. If any of it remains, 'tis only on 

 the points of the found grain. 



When corn thus blacked in the point has been kept for feveral 

 years, and frequently lifted through an iron fieve, this colour 

 vanilhes. It may alio be taken oft' immediately, by rubbing it with 

 a cloth : which ihews that the impreliion is only fuperlicial. 



Smutty corn is fo thoroughly deftroyed, that it cannot grow or 

 germinate. There is therefore no room to fear that the diftem- 

 per'd grains can produce their like. The corn which is only black'd 

 in the point, grows very well. 



Smut is not only a diilemper of the ear, but of the whole plant ; 

 and it very feldom happens but that when one ilalk is fmutty, all 

 the other flalks from the fame root arc fo too. I never found but 

 one found ear on a difternper'd plant. 



Authors are not agreed what the caufe of this diforder i . Some 

 impute it to inclemencies of the weather when the corn is in bloom. 

 It is certain that cold rains at that time prevents the grains being 

 impregnated : but it is well known that grain which is not impreg- 

 nated, does not always become fmutty : and befides, if it proceeded ' 

 from anv general caufe, the whole would be atYecledj whereas there 

 are fometimes only a few fmutty ears among the bed corn. 'Tis 

 true, it is mod frequent in rainy years ; and Mr, Tull is therefore of 



N opinion, 



