12 



mucked at the rate of sixteen carts per acre. The whole field 

 was then ploughed the short way of the field, and drilled directly 

 crossways of the plough. The half of the field next the Toad 

 was drilled with ' Kinver ' wheat, and was badly affected with 

 mildew. The upper half was drilled with 'Windsor Forest/ 

 and was free. Both varieties were drilled at the same time." 

 It would seem from this that there is some resisting power in 

 the Windsor Forest wheat, seeing that both varieties were sub- 

 jected to the same treatment. 



Samples of the grain and straw of Kinver and of Windsor 

 Forest were sent most kindly by Mr. Smith, which bore out his 

 statement. The straw and chaff of the former were much 

 spotted with the black sori of Puccinia graminis, and the grains 

 were shrivelled. But the Windsor Forest straw was bright and 

 almost entirely free from sori, and the grain was plump and well- 

 shaped, and as good a sample as could be seen in any season. 



Mr. G. Watkins, of Gulpho Hall, Ipswich, experienced 

 exactly the same result as Mr. Smith. Windsor Forest was 

 perfectly healthy, whereas Square-head's Master, sowed along- 

 side, and on the headlands round Windsor Forest, was badly 

 blighted. 



Weather. 



. In the reports received there is a general approximation with 

 .respect 'to the weather conditions. The autumn was very 

 wet, so that the seed was got in late, and in very many cases 

 v went in badly. Here and there it could not be got in until 

 February. After this there was a very dry time in most dis- 

 tricts, which lasted more or less until the beginning of harvest. 

 The temperature was below the average, according to all the 

 correspondents. Beyond the fact that the difficulties of 

 seeding, and the bad "season" caused a "thin plant," stated 

 by several to be more liable to be attacked by mildew than a 

 full and even plant, not much stress is laid upon the influence 

 of unfavourable climatic conditions, with the exception of the 

 remarkable frosts of June the i3th and i4th. According to 

 many, the yellow, or rusty, form of the mildew showed 

 itself soon after these frosts. This is corroborated by Mr. 

 Duckham, the well-known agriculturist, who says, " I ex- 

 perienced a sharp frost in 1867 on the 28th of June. At 

 that time my wheat was a grand crop. Yellow rust followed 

 to a very serious extent." Mr. Duckham considers that wet 

 weather also causes mildew, as he says that in 1879 and 1880, 

 two very wet years, black mildew very seriously injured the 

 crop ; so much so, that the straw broke into short lengths when 

 thrashed, and it was with difficulty he obtained any for thatching 

 the ricks. 



Barberry Trees. 



Not much light is thrown upon the connection between 

 barberry trees and mildew. They are said to be growing in the 



