154- Of Blight. Chap. XI, 



Another Caufe why fome Wheat is more blighted 

 than other Wheat on the fame Land, is, the different 

 Condition in which the Infecls find it ; for the Rind 

 of that which is very ftrong and flourifhing (c) is 

 foft and tender ; into this they can eafily penetrate to 

 lay their Eggs ; but the Wheat that is poor and 

 yellow, has an hard tough £km (or Rind), into which 

 the Infects are not able to bore for the. Intromiflion 

 of their Eggs, and therefore can do it no Milchief. 

 It would be in vain to advife to prevent the Blight, 

 by driving to make the Wheat poor ; for tho' Po- 

 verty may preferve Wheat from this Blight, as well 

 as it does People from the Gout, yet that is a Remedy 

 which few take willingly againft either of thefe Dif- 

 eafes : But this, I think, might be poffible to remedy 

 it, if we could, from the flrongeft Wheat, take away 

 fo much Nourishment as to turn its Colour (d) a 

 little yellowifh juft before the Infects come (e) which 

 I fuppofe to be in June y after the Ear is out, or at 

 lead fully formed. 



Yet this can only be done in wide Intervals ; for, 

 unlefs the fine Earth can be thruft to fome confiderable 

 Diftance from the Roots after they are cut off, they 

 will foon fhtfot out again, and reach it, becoming 

 more vigorous thereby. 



In dry Summers this Misfortune feldom happens, 

 much Heat, and very little Moilture, being moft agree- 

 able to the Conftitution of Wheat ; for then its Rind 



(c) Some Sort of Land is more fubjeci to this Blight than 

 others ; in fiich, Lammas Wheat muft by no means bedn.ird late, 



top thin, kfl u mould noc tiller till late in the Spring ; and 

 then, for want of a fufficient Quantity of Stalks to di.penie with 

 all the Nourifnment rais'd by the Hoe, may become too vigorous 

 and luxuriant, and be the more liable to the Injury of the Blight 

 or" In feel's. 



(d) But this is a very difficult Matter. 



(e) Whither thole Infects go, or where they refide, from the 

 Time of their eating their Way out of the Straw, until they re- 

 turn the next Year, I cannot learn. 



3 is 



