On the Smut in Wheat, fyc. 57 



some to possess noxious qualities. The disease has a great tendency 

 to spread, and to contaminate all the adjoining grain, rapidly extending 

 the mischief. No wonder therefore, that its ravages should have com- 

 manded the attention of husbandmen, in all ages, and in almost every 

 country. It was formerly so common, that in some countries it was not 

 unusual, 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 every farmer, for any operation that completely frees the 

 seed from smutty powder (the source of the infection), or that de- 

 stroys it by acrid, corrosive, or poisonous applications, will have the 

 effect of securing 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, before 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 f. 



Numerous are the modes by which smut may be prevented ; as, 

 1. By pure cold water and lime ; 2. By boiling water and lime ; 3. By 

 water impregnated with salt ; 4. By urine pickle ; and, 5. By a va- 

 riety of other processes, to be briefly enumerated. 



1. Pure cold Water and Lime. So important an operation, a* 

 the preparation of seed wheat, ought not to be performed in a sloven- 

 ly 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 quicklime, slaked 

 either with sea, or with boiling water J. 



2. Boiling Water and Lime. This mixture, when properly ap- 

 plied, is found to be effectual. Sometimes chalk-lime, recently burnt, 

 is put into a copper of boiling water, and as soon as the lime is dis- 

 solved, the mixture, at this degree of heat, is poured upon the wheat, 

 previously spread upon a stone floor, and the wheat and mixture are 

 immediately 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 

 boiling water and quicklime have been successfully used, after the 

 seed has been well washed and skimmed fj. 



* Sussex Report, p. 85, note. 



f Communication from Mr Blaikie, at Holkham. 



t Northamptonshire Report, p. 89 ; Surrey Report, p. 217 ; Cornwall Re- 

 port, p. 60; North Riding Report, p. 112; Annals of Agriculture, vol. xxi. 

 p. 210. 



Middlesex Report, p. 207. |j Dorset Report, p. 212. 



1 Buckinghamshire Report, p. 179. An experienced agriculturist has used 

 this pickle for his seed wheat during the space of 15 years, and with uniform 

 success, though he was twice or thrice under the necessity of using smutty 



