PLANTS AND THEIR CULTURE. 93 



is in a great degree obviated, and two ploughings 

 of a clover lay are in general amply sufficient. 

 Still this takes for granted that these ploughings 

 are well performed ; that no clods are to be seen ; 

 and that the field presents an unbroken surface of 

 mellow and finely-pulverized earth. 



2. Of the choice and preparation of seed. 



Seed should be taken from some fine crop of the 

 preceding year* which shall have ripened thorough- 

 ly and been well preserved. This, after passing 

 two or three times through the fanning mill, should 

 be carefully washed in clean water, and again in 

 water in which a quantity of fresh lime has been 

 slackened ; or, if lime cannot be had, in which clean 

 and recent wood ashes have been leached. This 

 washing, as we have already suggested, should 

 never be omitted: because, besides detecting the 

 shrunk or shrivelled grains, and many seeds of 

 other plants which will float on the surface of the 

 water, it entirely removes the dust of smut, rusty 

 &c., and thus prevents their propagation, f Our 



* A great variety of experiments show that wheat preserves 

 its germinating faculties under circumstances apparently very 

 unfavourable, and that it may even be sown to advantage when 

 several years old, after a slight degree of malting in the sheaf 

 or the stack, and after having been subjected to a high degree 

 of artificial heat. We mention this fact, however, not to invite 

 to a selection of seed-grain of either of these descriptions, but 

 to assure the farmer that, where better cannot be had, he may 

 employ even such, without apprehending a total loss of his 

 time and labour. 



t Smut, charbon, and rust in grain, were, according to the old 

 philosophy, attributed to storms, or s'ome other particular state 

 of the atmosphere ; but Messrs. Tillet, Tessier, B. Prevpt, and 

 Decandolle, have shown, that the two former of these diseases 

 are produced by an intestinal parasite, of the uredo or mushroom 

 family, the progress of which is much promoted by humidity 

 and shade. Analogy favours the opinion, that rust owes its ori- 

 gin to the same cause. The remedy for all is the same ; wash 

 your seed-grain thoroughly in lime water, roll it in plaster of 

 Paris, and sow it in the fall, before the cold and wet weather 

 begins, or in the spring after it has ended. 



