58 On the Smut in Wfieat, 



3. Salt Water *. -It is a still more effectual practice, to make 

 use of either fresh water, so impregnated with salt, that an egg wilt 

 float in it, or of sea water, with such a quantity of salt dissolved in it, 

 as to be equally strong, by which its specific gravity will be so in- 

 creased, 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 diseased grains will 

 rise to the top, and may be skimmed off. The seed wheat is then 

 separated from the pickle, spread upon the floor, and a sufficient quan- 

 tity of new slaked lime, to dry the whole, sifted upon itf . 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 sprink- 

 ling a heap of seed with stale urine, and then drying it with lime ; 

 and there can be DO doubt, that by this mode of pickling, if carefully 

 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 then 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 the 

 source of the evil is deposited. This is attended with some additional 

 trouble, but is an excellent precaution, by which any risk of injury, 

 from the after application of the urine, is prevented, should the grain 

 not be immediately sown, which, however, is, desirable. After the 

 wheat has been pickled with urine, and dried with quicklime, if not 

 immediately used, it ought to be spread as thin as possible, upon a 

 stone floor, to become dry. If it be put close together, and lie in that 

 state for a day, not a grain will vegetate. 



5. Various other steeps and practices have been recommended, as 

 soap-boilers' leys J, a ley of wood ashes, lime water, a solution 

 of arsenic , powdered wormwood in stale urine, and kiln-drying 



seed. He generally added one gallon of 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, that steeping for 24 hours is necessary to prevent 

 smut effectually. Remark by Edward Burroughs, Esq. 



* Tull informs us, that brining seed wheat, to prevent smut, was first prac- 

 tised 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 in different parts. It was free from disease at the following harvest, 

 when wheat in general happened to be smutty. This accident led to the prac- 

 tice of brining. 



f East Lothian Report, p. 111. In Norfolk, wheat previously moistened 

 with pure water, is candied with lime, slaked by very strong brine. The lime 

 is applied in its hottest state, and smut is thus prevented. Marshall's Norfolk, 

 vol. i. p. 219. 



| Derbyshire Report, vol. ii. p. 116. 



This is blrongly objected to, from the hazard attending it, and its destruc- 

 tion of game. A farmer in Essex, who was accustomed to steep his wheat in a 

 solution of arsenic, had his crops exempted from smut, but he was remarkable 

 for bad health, 



