WHEAT. 85 



owing to the absence of gluten, cannot be made into 

 good bread : it will be heavy and unwholesome. In 

 soils, then, that are by nature destitute of this ingre- 

 dient, it must be supplied ; and the quantity will vary 

 according to the qualities of the lime, and the soil to 

 which it is applied. An essential benefit will be de- 

 rived from the small quantity that can be distributed 

 by rolling seed-wheat in lime ; and no danger need 

 be apprehended if the quantity even reaches 50 or 

 100 bushels per acre. Lime in the soil is one of the 

 most permanent manures, being inactive, except in 

 its mechanical effect, unless brought in contact with 

 animal or vegetable substances, in a state suited to 

 chymical action and combination. Gypsum, or the 

 union of lime with sulphuric acid, is considered by 

 some a valuable manure or top-dressing for wheat ; 

 but we think, in most cases, the greatest benefit is 

 derived from this substance by its action on clover 

 sown with wheat ; and this application and union of 

 crops is found to be one of the surest methods of 

 renovating or perpetuating the fertility of a soil. 



In sowing wheat, few or no cases exist in which 

 the seed should not be prepared, and in whicl) there 

 will not be a decided benefit from pickling. Pickling 

 operates favourably in two ways ; it assists the ger- 

 mination, and it prevents smut. All men acquainted 

 with wheat, or who are dealers in the article, will 

 admit the necessity of guarding against smut, as 

 there are comparatively few fields in which it is not 

 to be found more or less ; and, in the least quantity, 

 its pernicious effects are discovered in discolouring 

 the grain, and injuring it for fiour or seed. Stale 

 urine, from its containing considerable quantities of 

 ammonia, may be considered the best article for 

 pickling wheat ; but, where this cannot be had, a 

 strong brine of common salt may be used. The 

 more effectually this brining or pickling is perlbrm- 

 ed, the better it will be for wheat ; and if the process 

 is completed, as it invariably should be, by rolling 



