20 MINUTES AUG. 



13. defcription, flretched away from this point 



BERBERY. acrofs the field of wheat, growing broader and 

 fainter (like the tail of a comet) the farther it 

 proceeded from its fource. The effect was 

 carried to a greater diftance than he had ever 

 obferved it before; owing, as he believed, to an 

 opening in the orchard behind it to the fouth- 

 weft, forming a gut or channel for the wind. 



Hearing him thus particular in his defcrip- 

 tion, and knowing him to be accurate in every 

 circumflance as to fituation, I afked him how 

 he accounted for the mifchicf. He anfwercd 

 to this efTedt: the berbery and wheat blow at the 

 fame time, and the duft, or farina, of the ber- 

 bery being blown over the wheat when in 

 bloom, is poifonous to it, and caufes the blight. 

 This, I confefs, flaggered my incredulity ; 

 for if the farina of vegetables be carried to a 

 confiderable diflance, and at t&at diilance 

 have a quality of fruduofity towards their own 

 fpecies ; and if fome vegetables are falubri- 

 ous, others poifonous, to the animal creation, 

 why may not the farina of one vegetable be 

 carried to a confiderable diftance, and there be- 

 come poifonous to the fruitfulnefs of another 

 of a diflimilar genus * ? 



* This, however, is evidently not the caufe ; for I have 



&nce 



