On Smut in Wheat. 75 



other healthy grain in a similar soil. Happily for man- 

 kind, wheat is accommodated to almost every climate, 

 and by habit, is enabled to sustain the scorching heat of 

 the torrid zone, or the extreme cold of high northern la- 

 titudes sufficient to freeze mercury, though it certainly 

 thrives best in the more temperate regions. Should 

 these experiments, after repeated trials, prove success- 

 ful, the result, being communicated to the Societ}^, 

 might prove highly important towards that great deside- 

 7'atum, the preservation of gi^ain from the deplorable de- 

 predations of the moth, the weevil, and other destruc- 

 tive insects. Notwithstanding the means hitherto em- 

 ployed, have generally disappointed expectation, yet the 

 case ought, by no means, to be given up in despair, as 

 totally irremediable : This Vv^ould only render it such, 

 by checking all further enquiry. Since there are few 

 evils, for which nature has not provided some remedy, 

 it becomes the duty of the philosophical agriculturist, 

 in the present case, to trace Her footsteps through her 

 hidden recesses, by prosecuting his researches with re- 

 doubled ardor. 



^^ Mille mali mores ^ mille scdiitw enint,^'^ 

 Since writing the above, having met with the follovvr- 

 ing interesting passage, from the Transactions of the 

 Linnsean Society in London, we flatter ourselves gen- 

 tlemen will readily indulge us a few minutes longer, in 

 reciting it; as it tends to corroborate what has been al- 

 ready advanced. 



The Rev. Mr. Kirby, F. L. S. has noticed certain 

 species of this minute parasitical mushroom, which are 

 supposed to occasion several species of blight found on 

 various kinds of grain, and grass. 



