(green vitriol) is useful, but is not effective in all cases, 

 while it is very little cheaper than the more effective blue 

 vitriol. Chloride of sodium has little effect on seed infected 

 by the spores of parasitical fungi; chloride of lime is 

 destructive to the spores of some fungi that attack farm 

 crops, but not to all. 



" Sulphate of copper is,, without doubt, the most 

 effective and most useful of all the chemical salts used in 

 the preparation of seed pickles. It destroys the spores of 

 all the fungi that attack farm crops, while the vitality of 

 the seed is in no way injured by its action, and not only 

 as regards efficacy is it the most valuable of all the saline 

 substances used, but it is the easiest to apply. It is used 

 in the following way : Take three-quarters of a pound of 

 the salt and dissolve it in a gallon of hot-water ; after 

 allowing it to cool, it is fit for use. The solution thus 

 prepared is sufficient for about 200 Ibs. of ordinary field 

 seed. Before applying the solution, spread the grain 

 equally over a hard earthen floor, to a depth of about six 

 inches, then sprinkle it with the solution, at the same time 

 mixing the whole thoroughly with a shovel until all is 

 uniformly damped ; it will dry in two or three hours, 

 when it will be fit for sowing. We have used a much 

 stronger solution of blue vitriol than this, not only without 

 injury to the seed, but with benefit. As a general rule, 

 old seed requires less of the solution than new seed. It is 

 the safest plan to subject all seed to the action of this 

 pickle, even though the crop which produced it was quite 

 healthy, as it may have met with the spores of the fungi 

 in the granary or store-room, and may thus be in no 

 better state than if produced by unhealthy plants. When 

 we say that all seeds should be subjected to the action of 

 a solution of sulphate of copper before being sown, we refer 



