and tie Means of preventing it. 61 



The mode of using the blue vitriol, adopted by the gentleman whose 

 name is not disclosed, was as follows : Into eight quarts of boiling wa- 

 ter, he puts one pound of blue vitriol ; and while it is quite hot, he 

 mixes three bushels of wheat with five quarts of the liquid, and at the 

 end of three hours, adds the other three quarts ; and the three bushels 

 of wheat are suffered to remain three hours longer, or six hours in all, 

 in the liquid. The whole should be stirred three or four times, du- 

 ring the six hours, and the light grains may be taken off. Then add 

 a sufficient quantity of slaked lime, to make the wheat perfectly dry. 

 It may remain in a heap for six hours ; it may then be spread open, 

 and used the next day, but not sooner. Though it is recommended 

 to be spread six hours after it has been limed, and put in a heap, yet 

 there is no risk of its heating, and it may be kept longer than a day, 

 without any risk of injury. 



Mr Hipkys's mode of preparation is different. After dissolving five 

 pounds of the sulphate in hot water, he then adds as much cold wa- 

 ter as may be sufficient to cover three bushels of wheat ; which is gra- 

 dually passed through a riddle, in order that all the light grains may 

 swim on the surface, and be skimmed off. After being repeatedly stir- 

 red, and cleared of the light grains, the wheat is suffered to remain 

 in the liquid for five or six hours ; but it has remained, in one or two 

 instances, from twelve to twenty-four hours, without experiencing any 

 bad effect. It is then taken out, and thrown upon the floor. If it is 

 to be sown broad-cast, it should be crusted with lime in the usual way; 

 but for drilling, it is stirred about until it becomes dry, which it ge- 

 nerally does, in dry weather, in five or six hours. When the atmo- 

 sphere, however, is moist, it will require double that space of time *. 

 It may then be drilled, with as much facility as grain that had not 

 undergone any operation. 



After the first two or three bags, of three bushels each, have passed 

 through this liquid, one pound of the sulphate should be added, for 

 each succeeding bag, until from ten to twelve bags have been thus 

 used ; when a fresh quantity of the preparation should be made ready, 

 in case the liquid should become foul or turbid. 



Either of these modes may be adopted with a certainty of success. 



This plan is surely superior, in point of cleanliness at least, to some 

 of the disgusting processes that are frequently recommended for the 

 same purpose ; and is likewise attended by the following advantages : 

 I. The expense is trifling, as the price of the vitriol is not, in general, 

 above from sixpence to eightpence or ninepence per pound ; and 

 after being used, in the manner above described, the water may be 

 evaporated, and the remains of the sulphate will again crystallise. 2. 

 It is a great advantage, that, with this preparation, liming is not ne- 

 cessary ; as lime, more especially recently slaked, cannot always be 

 had, and as the use of lime is so injurious to the drill machines, where 

 brushes are used. 3. It is well known, that after wheat has been 



tality, the plant may be thereby freed from a general aptitude to disease, and by 

 being thus invigorated, it may be the better enabled to withstand those attacks, 

 to which, in a less healthy state, it would be liable. 



* Passing it through a pair of fanners would soon dry it. 



