1835.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER, 



337 



From the Code of jZgricultwe, of the 5th Edition, 1832. 

 ON THE NATURE OF THE DISEASE, CALLED 

 "the smut" IN WHEAT, AND THE MEANS 

 OF PREVENTING IT. 



This disease, in French, is called "Le carte," 

 and in' botanical language "vstHago" It is a 



species of degeneracy of the grains in the ears of 

 wheal, by which the substance that should lbrm 

 flour in the grain, becomes entirely changed into a 

 black powder, similar to a puff ball, or dusty 

 mushroom, (lycoperdon globosum.) Wheat af- 

 fected with this disease, when mixed with seedfin 

 a sound state, diminishes its value, imparts a dark 

 color to the flour, and is said by some to possess 

 noxious qualities. The disease has a great ten- 

 dency to spread, and to contaminate all the ad- 

 joining grain, rapidly extending the mischief. No 

 wonder therefore, that its ravages should have 

 commanded the attention of husbandmen, in all 

 ages, and in almost every country. It was tbrmer- 

 ly so common, that in some countries it was not unu- 

 sual, to see twice or thrice as many smutted ears 

 of corn, as sound ones. Fortunately, the means 

 of preventing it have long been in the power of eve- 

 ry farmer, for any operation that completely frees the 

 seed from smutty powder (the source of the in- 

 fection,) or that destroys it by acrid, corrosive, or 

 poisonous applications, will have the effect of se- 

 curing a clean crop;* and though sometimes crops 

 may escape without preparation, that is no reason, 

 why every rational means should not be adopted, 

 to guard against such an evil. 



As a safeguard, it is an excellent practice, be- 

 fore the wheat seed is first put into any liquid, to 

 run it, very gently, through a riddle, when not only 

 the smut balls, but the imperfect grains, and the 

 seeds of weeds, will float, and may be skimmed 

 off at pleasure, which is not the case when the 

 seed is put hastily into the brine or water.! 



Numerous are the modes by which smut maybe 

 prevented; as, 1. By pure cold water and lime; 2. 

 By boiling water and lime; 3. By water impreg- 

 nated with salt; 4. By urine pickle; and* 5. By a 

 variety of other processes, to be briefly enumera- 

 ted. 



1. Pure cold Water and Lime. — So important 

 an operation, as the preparation of seed wheat, 

 ought not to be performed in a slovenly manner, if 

 the object be, to secure with certainty, the future 

 crop, from so destructive a disease as smut. It 

 may be effected, however, by pure cold water, 

 provided the seed be washed in several waters, 

 frequently stirred, so as to give the light grains an 

 opportunity of rising, that they may be skimmed 

 off, and repeatedly changed, until it be perfectly 

 clean. It should then be dried by quickljme, 

 slaked either with sea, or with boiling water.f 



2. Boiling Water and Lime. — This mixture, 

 when properly applied, is found to be effectual. 

 Sometimas chalk-lime, recently burnt, is put into a 

 copper of boiling water, and as soon as the lime is 

 dissolved, the mixture, at this degree of heat, is 

 poured upon the wheat, previously spread upon 



* Sussex Report, p. 83, note. 



f Communication from Mr. Blaikie, at Holkham. 



i; Northamptonshire Report, p. 89; Surry Report, p- 

 217; Cornwall Report, p. 60; North Riding Report, p- 

 112; Annals of Agriculture, vol. xxi. p. 210 



Vol. Ill — 43 



a stone floor, and the wheat and mixture are im- 

 mediately well turned together with shovels.* 

 Sometimes the wheat, put into a common wicker 

 basket, is dipped two or three times in a mixture 

 of hot water and quicklime;! and sometimes boil- 

 ini!; water and quicklime have been successfully 

 used, after the seed has been well washed and 

 skimmed. J 



3. Salt Water.§ — It is a still more effectual 

 practice, to make use of either fresh water, so im- 

 p*Ppo-nated with salt, that an egg will float in it, or 

 of sea water, with such a quantity of salt dissolved 

 in it, as to be equally strong, by whickits specific 

 gravity will be so increased, that all unsound grains 

 will swim in the pickle. About a bushel of wheat 

 at a time, is put into a sufficient quantity of this 

 pickle, in which, when stirred, all the light or dis- 

 eased grains will rise to the top, and may be skim- 

 med off The seed wheat is then separated from 

 the pickle, spread upon the floor, and a sufficient 

 quantity of new slaked lime, to dry the whole, 

 sifted upon it.T If the wheat is to be drilled, after 

 being limed, it should lie a day on the floor, or be 

 kept for that space of time in sacks. 



4. Urine Pickle. — Some farmers are satisfied 

 with merely sprinkling a heap of seed with stale 

 urine, and then drying it- with lime; and there can 

 he no doubt, that by this mode of pickling, if care- 

 fully done, the object may be effectually answered. 

 Others prefer steeping, .the seed in pure water, 

 (skimming off any light grains that may float on 

 the surface,) and ^hen applying the urine to the 

 seed. The grain thus first imbibes a harmless 

 species of moisture, and the more acrid matter to 

 be afterwards applied, only acts upon its surface, 

 where Ihe source of the evil is deposited. This is 

 attended with some aoTflitional trouble, but is an 

 excellent precaution, by which any risk of injury, 

 from the after application of the urine, is prevent- 

 ed, should the grain, not be immediately sown, 

 which, however, is desirable. After the wheat 

 has been pickled with urine, and dried with quick 

 lime, if not immediately used, it ought to be spread 



* Middlesex Report, p. 207. AM 



• f Dorset Report, p. 212. 



\ Buckinghamshire Report, p. 179. An experienced 

 agriculturist has used this picklefor his seed wheat du- 

 ring the space of 15 years, and with uniform success, 

 though he was twice or thrice under the necessity of 

 using smutty seed. He generally added one gallon pf 

 soap-lees to ten of water,and kept the seed in steep, from 

 15 to 24 hours. But he agrees with the late celebrated 

 Arthur Young in opinion, thar steeping for 24 hours is 

 necessary to prevent smut effectual!)^. — Remark by Ed- 

 ward Burrovghs, Esq. 



§ Tull informs us, that brining seed wheat, to pre- 

 vent smut, was first practised about the year 1660, 

 when a Vessel with wheat was sunk near Bristol, and 

 the grain so much injured by salt water, that though it 

 would vegetate, it was considered to be unfit for bread. 

 It was taken out of the vessel at low water, and sown 

 rent parts. It was free from disease at the fol- 

 lowing harvest, when wheat in general happened 

 to be smutty. This accident led to the practice of bri- 

 ning. 



IT East Lothian Report, p. 111. — In v Norfolk, wheat 

 previously moistened with pure watexyis candied with 

 lime, slaked by very strong brine. The lime is applied 

 in its hottest state, and smut is thus prevented. — Mar- 

 shall's Norfolk, vol. i. p. 210. 



