126- New Disease in Wheal. 



not fill with grain. The appearance of this complaint- 

 is discovered by the roots or bunches, being a thick tuft- 

 or bunch of blades rising in a cluster without forming a 

 stalk. I shall continue to examine further, hoping to 

 find some of the eggs further advanced towards matu- 

 rity, though could not find any in the last sent to me. 

 I hope others will be attentive to this subject, as it is a 

 serious malady in our most valuable grain. 



With much esteem from thy friend, 



Caleb Kirk. 

 Dr. J. Mease. 



The facts stated by Mr. Hollingsworth, while they 

 justly ought to cause serious alarm, tend at the same 

 time fully to prove, the truth of the theory of Mr. So- 

 merville, respecting the origin of grain insects. He 

 supposes that they are generated in the manure made 

 use of, being put into the earth, and covered up from 

 the sun and air: insects he remarks in such circum- 

 stances, breed much faster, than when the same manure 

 is left upon, or near the surface. To prevent their in- 

 crease, he recommends the mixing lime with stable 

 dung, (but not until it is completely fermented) and the 

 application of manure so prepared, in the spring as a top 

 dressing, when the crop is in a growing state, instead, 

 of ploughing it under in the autumn. In the trials he 

 has made of the practice he recommends, the success 

 has been very great. Another mode in which the in- 

 sects mentioned by Mr. Hollingsworth might be de- 

 stroyed, is by paring and burning the surface; the 

 mode of performing this operation may be seen in books 



