On Smut in Wheat. 79 



Finally, should future researches confirm this opinion 

 (however novel or fanciful it may at present appear) that 

 the 5 species of blight above mentioned, result from one 

 genus of parasitical fungus, it would seem to follow, as 

 plants of the same genus partake of similar qualities, 

 according to the law of nature, which produces similar 

 effects from similar causes, that an effectual remedy 

 against one of these species would be applicable to all 

 the rest, agreeably to the simple means we have propo- 

 sed, and which seem to merit a fair trial. 



But while thousands of parasitical seeds ai^e probably 

 floating, unseen around us, we can only act on the defen- 

 sive, in preventing, as far as we are able, their fastening 

 on our seed wheat, by destroying the vegetating power 

 of their invisible germs, without injuring the grain. As 

 a further security against moths and weevils, the sacks, 

 in which the w^heat is kept, should be previously im- 

 pregnated with a solution of nitre, fumes of sulphur, or 

 of charcoal. This would afford a very proper subject 

 for an experimenjt, in addition to those, which have been 

 proposed. 



Exp. 7. Let the preservative effects of these methods 

 on grain, exposed to a long voyage, be compared with 

 an equal quantity sent out, in the same vessel, in the or- 

 dinary way, which would bring the matter to the test. 



Exp. 8. Lastly, to determine whether, as some emi- 

 nent authors allege, the shrivelled seeds of sm^utty and 

 mildewed grain can yield as good a crop as plump 

 sound seed : let some of each sort be sown at a distance 

 from one another, and from other crops, and the result 

 carefully noted. If the products resemble the parent 

 seeds in quality, or in other words, good grain from good 



