On Smut in Wheat, 



bring it to the test — aiid as it may be used with safety 

 and advantage at all times, it ought never to be neglect =• 

 ed in mixed grain, or imperfect samples. 



3. If the seed wheat be suspected of having received 

 a taint from smut, rust, or the ova of insects, particularly 

 the wheat moth, (not the Hessian fly, improperly so 

 termed) which first committed its ravages in Virginia, 

 and afterwards extended its depredations to the neigh- 

 bouring States, we know no means of prevention, more 

 likely to produce the desired effect, than the exposure 

 of the seed to such a degree of heat, or cold, as will de- 

 stroy the life of insects, without being incompatible 

 with the germinating power of the grain.* 



Exp. 5. The proper degree of heat requisite to ac- 

 complish both purposes, will probably be found between 

 150 and 180 of Fahrenheit's thermometer, and might 

 easily be determined by subjecting the suspected grain 

 to the heat of a maltster's kiln, carefully regulated to the 

 necessary temperature, previously ascertained by accu- 

 rate experiments: The malting heat probably some^ 

 times exceeds 180**. 



Exp. 6. As wheat can sustain without injury, a much 

 greater degree of cold than is necessary to kill insects, 

 and perhaps also their ova, in an unsheltered state, let the 

 suspected grain be spread out on a sail cloth, to the open 

 air, during two or three sharp frosty nights, and let the 

 grain, after undergoing these processes be sown, noting 

 the germination and produce, compared with those of 



* See the valuable Notes on Virginia by his Excellency the 

 President of the United States, whose opinion liere coincides 

 with that, which v/e wish to establish. 



