Chap. XV. DISTEMPERS OF CORN. 99 



fufficient. It may be remarked here, that the manner of liming 

 corn, was formerly different from what is pradtifed now. They 

 then put the grain into ballcets, which they plunged into warm 

 lime-water. Tliey ftirred it flrongly in the balkets, and carefully 

 fkimm'd off all that fwam on the top. By this means, they got 

 rid of all the diflemper'd grain. This was much better than fuiiply 

 pouring lime-water On a heap of grain, as is the pradtice now-a- 

 days, and then turning it with lliovels ; or mixing with the grain 

 lime-flack'd in the air, and reduced to powder. 



7. Wafliing the grain touched with the powder, in feveral waters, 

 is a very good precaution : but it muff be afterwards fteep'd in brine 

 till it is thoroughly penetrated therewith, and then have powder of 

 lime ftrewed upon it. 



8. A ftrong brine of fea-falt is good, and may be ufed to great 

 advantage where fait is cheap. 



9. Salt-petre is better than fea-falt, and fliould be made ufe of 

 where much nitrous earth abounds. 



10. Strong alkaline lyes are flill better. Pot-afli, fait of tartar, 

 a lye made of any vegetable aflies abounding in fait, urine of men 

 or cattle, become alkaline by putrefadtion, 6cc. Of thefe, the eafieft 

 come at in every place, may be chofen to make a lye for feed corn. 

 Near the fea, they make ufe of the afhes of fea-weeds. Thefe afhes, 

 rejedted by dyers and others who ufe lyes, becaule they have too 

 much fea-falt in them, may, for that very reafon, be employed to 

 greater advantage for feed corn. 



As men generally love to raife objedlions, fome may perhaps 

 fay, that if this diftemper is fo contagious as has been here repre- 

 fented, it would make fuch progrefs from year to year, that at laft 

 we fliould reap nothing, but burnt grain : but this is not the cafe, 

 for frequently a year in which this dillemper prevails much, is 

 fucceeded by a year in which fcarce any of it is iccn. Such was 

 the year 1754. 



M. Tillet's obfervations are an anfwer to this objedtion : for 

 hard frofts kill fo many of the diftempered plants, that its progref"; 

 is happily ftopt. 



It may be again afked, if the contagious powder is the only 

 caufe, how comes there to be burnt grain in a province where it 

 never was before ? It may be anfwered, that other cauies may pro- 

 duce it J particularly, as M. Aimen obferves, whatever prevents 

 the grains being impregnated whilft in blofibm. 



O 2 M. 



