Vol. VII. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y., AUC4UST, 184G. 



No. 8. 



THE GENESEE FARMER: 



Issued the first of each month, lit Rochester, N. 1'.. 



D. D. T. MOORE, PROPRIETOR. 



by 



DANIEL LEE, EDITOR. 



BARRY, Conductor of the Horticviltural Department. 



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Rust on Wheat. 



We have noticed a few circumstances attend- 

 ing the prevalence of rust on wheat during the 

 present season, which are worthy of being recor- 

 ded. The circumstances are these : 



The earliest wheat, and that growing on dry, 

 gravelly land, with a small stem and leaf, and 

 standing sparsely on the ground, is nearly de- 

 stroyed by rust ; while later grain, although 

 standing on low land, with large stems and leaves, 

 has sutlered comparatively but little from this 

 blighting malady. The evidence of these facts 

 is abundant and conclusive on the farm where 

 the Editor resides, and on those of his neighbors. 

 Gen. Harmon says that his wheat was .scarcely 

 ever, if ever, so badly rusted before, particularly 

 on his dry table lands. He supposes that rust 

 depends less on the character of the soil as to 

 dampness or dryness, clay or sand, than to a par- 

 ticular condition of the atmosphere, and also of 

 the wheat plant as to maturity, and not as to the 

 size and sponginess of its stem and leaf. What 



mic parasite plant, which comes speedily to 

 maturity, and constitutes the sub.stauce on wheat 

 known by the name of rust. If this be so, it is 

 remarkable that the microscopic seeds of this plant 

 should pass over ten acres of stout wheat on in- 

 terval land, and hardly take root upon it, Avhile 

 tliey attach themselves to the hard, bright straw 

 on a gravelly side hill, in the same field, so as to 

 ruin the crop, by shrinking the berry to one- 

 fourth of its natural size. Our present purpose 

 is not to speculate on the nature of the dark, and 

 mysterious origin of a calamity, which falls so 

 suddenly and so severely on thousands of acres 

 of most promising wheat when nearly ready for 

 the harvest. We design to record the fact that 

 our thinnest and smallest wheat, which was early 

 sown, in good order and on dry land, has suffered 

 most from rust. It has happened that such wheat 

 arrived at the right stage in its growth to be at 

 tacked by rust, when the atmosphere was in the 

 proper condition to make such attack most 

 effective. 



Tkaxsactions of the N. Y. State An. So- 

 ciety, FOR 184.5. — We have barely room in this 

 number to acknowledge the receipt of a bound 

 volume of the Transactions of the State Agri- 

 cultural Society for the year 1845, from its Cor. 

 Secretary, J. B. Nott, Esq. of Albany. It 

 contains more valuable matter than any other 

 from the same source hitherto published — show- 

 ing that more talent, skill and successful practice 

 are now brought to bear on rural pursuits, in the 

 State, than at any former period in its history. 

 There are several papers in the volume worthy 

 of notice at our hands, which will receive due 

 attention hereafter. 



Engravings. — In consequence of the illness 

 (and absence from the city,) of our engraver, we 

 that condition of the air i.s, which imder favorable { are compelled to defer several illustrations in- 

 circumstances, brings rast on wheat, is not suffi- 1 tended for this number of the Farmer. We 

 ciently known to be well described. It is an at- 1 shall endeavor to avoid a like occurrence in fu- 

 mosphere warm, nearly motionless, and highly! ture. An engraving and description of " Ide*« 

 'charged with watery vapor. Probably it is also j Patent Wheel Cultivator" will be given in our 

 loaded with the invi-sible seeds of a cryptoga- 1 September number. 



