144 Of Blight. Chap. XL 



fooner from the Ears, than it can do in fheltry Places; 

 and Lammas Wheat does not hold the Drops of Rain 

 fo long as the Bearded (or Cone) Wheat, which 

 received very great Damage by this fort of Blight in 

 the Year 1725, the like never having been heard of 

 before. 



The Second fort of Blight, viz. from light Ears* 

 is that which is moil frequent, and more general : 

 This brings the greater!: Scarcity of Wheat. The 

 Caufe is plainly Want of Nourishment to perfect the 

 Grain, by whatever means that Want is occafioned. 



Several Accidents kill die Plants, or injure their 

 Health, and then the Grains are not filled ; as 

 Lightning, the Effects whereof may be obferved by 

 the blackifh Spots and Patches in Fields of Wheat, 

 efpecially in fuch Years as have more of it than ufual. 

 Againft this there is no Defence. 



The other Caufes of the Blight, which are mod 

 general, and do the moil Damage, may, in fome 

 meafure, be prevented. 



One Caufe is the lodging or falling of Corn ; for 

 then the Stalks are broken near the Ground, whereby 

 many of the Veflels are fo preffed, that the Juices 

 cannot pafs them ; and then the free Circulation is 

 hindered ; the Chyle cannot mount in fufficient 

 Quantity to be purified, and turned into Sap -, the 

 Defect whereof makes the Plants become languid, 

 and only juft able to live ♦, they have Strength 

 enough to, linger on to the time of their Period, as 

 in very old Age, but not to bring their Fruir, which 

 is the Grain, to its natural Bulk, nor to fill it with 

 Flour : and the fooner the Stalks fall, the lefs and 

 thinner the Grain will be. 



Hence it often happens, that when Tillage, 

 Dung, and good Land have brought a Crop of 

 Wheat, that in the Months of April and May 

 promife to yield the Owner Five or Six Quarters 

 on an Acre, then in June it falls down, and fcarce 



affords 



