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THE UNIVERSAL HERBAL; 



M I L 



in the land, may check the vegetable mucilage before the 

 corn is filled, and thereby produce a predisposition to mildew. 

 No difference is observed in new anil aid seed, in similar 

 stuations. The first cause of mildew appears to be a predis- 

 position in the wheat, occasioned by a decrease of mucilage in 

 the straw, which allows the watery particles to insinuate them- 

 selves, and still further check the circulation of the juices 

 in the stem that are necessary to the perfection of the grain, 

 and had before become languid from the unkiodness of the 

 season, or the feebleness of the soil. When the watery particles 

 have insinuated themselves, the straw becomes discoloured, 

 and probably a complete putrefaction would immediately 

 succeed, if it were not prevented by a circulation of air. At 

 all times during their growth, the straw of Barley and Oats 

 appears to have sufficient mucilage in itself to resist the effects 

 of the watery particles ; but when it is once cut, it becomes 

 like the stubble in the fields, and cannot resist it much longer. 

 Fallows and layers have been equally liable. An over luxu- 

 riant growth i the spring is favourable to the mildew, and 

 that distemper may be produced by particular manure, 

 such as .green vetches, &c. ploughed in, which seem to cause 

 a considerable fermentation in the soil, and produce a rapid 

 vegetation for a short time. It seems perfectly reasonable, 

 from the above statement, to look for the cause of the disease, 

 in a standing crop, in the state of the atmosphere; for 

 nothing is so likely to bring on the fatal predisposition of the 

 plants, as a succession of cold rains while the grain is forming. 

 The coolness necessarily gives a check to the rich saccharine 

 juices which are then rising towards the ear, and the moisture 

 may at the same time assist the seeds of the fungi to germinate 

 and take root. Thus reason and facts concur, says Sir Joseph 

 Banks, in pointing out the cause and operation of the disease. 

 There appear to be two reasons why corn which happens 

 to be struck with this disease in a dry warm summer, is 

 exposed to that excessive injury by which experience proves 

 it suffers. The habits of the plants render them more sus- 

 ceptible of injury, their rich juices more liable to be checked, 

 and the seeds of fungi, it is probable, are more widely, if 

 not more plentifully, distributed by such a state of the air, 

 than they are by a cool moist atmosphere. The natural event 

 is too well known. A certain prevention of it, says Mr. Mar- 

 shal, would be a discovery worth millions to the country. 

 Until this be made, let the grower of wheat not only endea- 

 vour to sow early, but let him look narrowly to his crop dur- 

 ing the critical time of the filling of the grain ; and whenever he 

 may perceive it to be smitten with the disease, let him lose 

 no time in cutting it ; suffering it to lie on the stubble until 

 the straw be firm and crisp enough to be set in sheaves, 

 without adhering in the binding places ; allowing it to remain 

 in the field until the grain shall have received all the nutri- 

 ment which it can derive from the straw. Where wheat has 

 been grown on Lammas land, and the ground obliged to be 

 cleared by the first of August, it has been known to cjit " as 

 green as grass," and to be carried off and spread upon grass- 

 lands to dry ; yet the grain has been found to mature, and 

 always to afford a fine-skinned beautiful sample. Rye-grass 

 that is cut even while in blossom, is well known to mature 

 its seeds with the sap that is lodged in the stems. Hence 

 there is nothing to fear from cutting wheat or corn before 

 the straw be ripe. This is also the opinion of Mr. Young; 

 he therefore advises the farmer to be very attentive to his 

 wheat crops in July, as they are every where liable to this 

 fatal distemper, which admits but of one cure or check, and 

 that is, reaping it as soon as it is struck. The capital managers 

 in Suffolk know well, that every hour the Wheat stands after 

 the mildew appears, is mischievous to the crop. It should be 



cut, though quite green, as it is found that the grain fills after 

 it is cut, and ripens in a manner that those would not con- 

 ceive who had not tried t!>e experiment, as Mr. Young has 

 done many times, by reaping so early, that the labourers 

 pronounced he should have nothing but hen's meat: yet they 

 were always mistaken ; for the sample proved good, while 

 the grain of others which stood longer suffered severely It 

 may be asked, in what manner cutting down the crop, as soon 

 as it is found to be diseased, can operate so easily as a remedy ? 

 but to the practical farmer, the fact only is necessary. The 

 operation of the remedy and of the disease are equally indif- 

 ferent to him. Those who have profited by the remec'v. here 

 recommended, believe that it kills the mildew. And it" it 

 shall appear that the fungus of wheat requires a free supply 

 of air to keep it alive, or in a state of health and vigour, the 

 eft'cct of cutting down the crop will be explained. It will 

 perhaps be found, by experience, that the closer it is allowed 

 to lie upon the ground, and the sooner it is bound np in 

 sheaves, (provided the natural ascent of the sap to the ear be 

 not interrupted,) the more effectual and complete will be the 

 remedy. Further, on the evidence of attentive observation, 

 if Wheat, which has been attacked by this disease, be suffered 

 to remain in the field, with the ears exposed, until it may 

 have received the ameliorating influence of dews, or moderate 

 rain, (to soften, relax, and assist the natural rise of the sap,) 

 the more productive it will probably become. And it may 

 be still further added, that grain cut while under-ripe, is still 

 less liable to be injured in the field by moist weather, than 

 that which has stood until it be fully or over-ripe. A pro- 

 bable means of prevention, for the reasons already given, to 

 induce early ripeness, either by sowing early, or by forcing 

 manures ; or by selecting and establishing early varieties of 

 Wheat especially, like early varieties of Pease, and other 

 esculent plants raised by the gardeners; is a work which only 

 requires ordinary attention, and which, it is hoped, will be 

 zealously encouraged by every attentive promoter of rural 

 improvements in the united kingdom. 



Mildew, in Gardening. In addition to what we have pre- 

 sented our readers with, under the article Blight, we here 

 wish to add, that it is advised, whenever danger is appre- 

 hended, to wash or sprinkle the trees well with urine and 

 lime-water mixed ; and when the young and tender shoots 

 are much infected, to wash them well with a woollen cloth 

 dipped in the following mixture, so as to clear them of all the 

 glutinous matter, that their respiration and perspiration may 

 not be obstructed : Take of tobacco one pound, sulphur two 

 pounds, unslaked lime one peck, and about a pound of Elder 

 buds; pour on them ten gallons of boiling water; cover it 

 close, and let it stand till cold; then add as much cold water 

 as will fill a hogshead. It should stand two or three days to 

 settle, when the scum may be taken off, and it is fit for use. 

 This treatment is equally proper for those trees affected with 

 what is vulgarly called honey-dew, which is a viscous exsuda- 

 tion, closing up their pores, and obstructing their perspiration. 



Milfoil. See AchiUea. 



Mi/ium ; a genus of the class Triandria, order Diprynia. 

 GENERIC CHARACTER. Calix: glume one-flowered, two- 

 valved ; valves ovate, acuminate, almost equal. Corolla: 

 two-valved, less than the calix; valves ovate, one less; nec- 

 tary two-leaved ; leaflets ovate, obtuse, gibbous at the base. 

 Stamina: filamenta three, capillary, very short; antheire 

 oblong. Pistil: germen roundish; styles two, capillary; 

 stigmas pencil-form. Pericarp: none. Seed- single, co- 

 vered, roundish. ESSENTIAL CHARACTER. Calix: two- 

 valved, one-flowered; valves almost equal. Corolla: very 

 short. Stigmas: pencil-form. The species ate, 



