and the Means of preventing it. 59 



th seed, which, though a hazardous, is, when properly executed, a 

 successful mode of preventing smut *. 



In every preparation it is necessary, either to kill, or mechanically 

 to force off, the semina of the smut. 



The most effectual steep, for destroying the seeds of the smut that 

 are attached to wheat, was discovered several years ago by Mr Bene- 

 dict Prevost, and strongly recommended to the attention of the Au- 

 thor of this work, by that intelligent naturalist, as an infallible re- 

 medy. Instead of brine, urine, or any of the ingredients that have 

 been mentioned above, Mr Prevost uses vitriol, (the sulphate of cop- 

 per), in the following simple process. The steep or preparation is 

 made up at the rate of one ounce of blue vitriol, dissolved in an Eng- 

 lish gallon (wine measure) of water, for every bushel of wheat. In- 

 to this mixture the grain is thrown, or passed through a sieve ; and 

 being frequently stirred for about half an hour, and the grain which 

 swims on the surface skimmed off, that which has sunk in the liquid is 

 thrown into a basket that the water may run off. It is next washed 

 in rain or pure water, so as to prevent injury to the grain, and the 

 seed is dried, either with or without lime, arid then sown. The grain 

 should be well cleaned, and thoroughly dry at the time it is put into 

 the liquid. The grain, after being thus prepared, may be kept with- 

 out injury, and the remedy, when properly used, may be considered 



" TO BE INFALLIBLE." 



Having frequently recommended this preventive against the smut, 

 after my having first discovered it in the course of an excursion to 

 the Continent, I flattered myself that its efficacy would soon be tried 

 by a number of zealous and experienced farmers. But it is a true 

 saying in regard to agriculture, as well as many other arts, " What 

 " is every body's business, is nobody s" Each individual wishes to 

 throw the load off his own shoulders, in hopes that his neighbour will 

 undertake the trouble and risk of the experiment. Hence, this im- 

 portant suggestion might have remained unnoticed, had it not fortunate- 

 ly attracted the attention of some public-spirited agriculturists in the 

 town and neighbourhood of Birmingham. To them, the use of the 

 sulphate of copper, (from their being more accustomed, than the ge- 

 nerality of farmers, to articles connected with manufactures and che- 

 mistry), was not an object of apprehension. 



Mr Richard Hipkys, of Paradise- street, Birmingham, was the first 

 person, at least in that neighbourhood, who was prevailed upon to try 

 the powers of the proposed application. He states, that in the autumn 

 of the year 1817, he met with a small work, written by the President 



* At Wooler, in Northumberland, it is said, that passing seed-wheat loosely 

 through mill-stones, so as not to injure the grain, has been found to prevent 

 smut ; the seed of the disease, which is commonly lodged in the downy part of 

 the grain, being removed by that operation. Mr Prevost has proved, that smut 

 originates from the seeds of a fungus, for he has grown it on moist cloths. See 

 Hints on the Agricultural State of the Netherlands, Appendix, p. 5. There is 

 a luminous exposition of the chemical nature of the smut in wheat, and a cor- 

 rect analysis, extracted from the works of Fourcroy and Vauquelin, in Mr 

 Hoblyn's Prize Essay on the Diseases of Wheat, in the Papers of the Bath So- 

 c iety, vol. xix. p. 83. 



