HARVESTING. 109 



When grain is stacked, a light floor of boards should be 

 mounted on four blocks, set in the ground, and so high 

 as to prevent the entering of vermin. In building a 

 stack, care should be taken to keep the seed ends of the 

 sheaves in the middle, and a little higher than the outer 

 ends. 



As soon as Indian corn is ripe, it should be harvested. 

 If killed by a frost, it should be immediately cut up by 

 the roots, before the leaves have had time to wither 

 and set up in shock, having the tops tied together to 

 keep out the rains. In this way the ears will ripen, in 

 the same manner as when left to ripen in the stalk. 



MILDEW OR RUST. 



Mildew is that disease of wheat which causes the stalk 

 to become covered, in a greater or less degree, with a 

 redish or dark substance, something similar to the rust 

 of iron. It is undoubtedly occasioned by parasitic plants 

 of the Fungi order. The spots in the stalks consist of 

 bunches of small/u??oi, of the mushroom tribe. What 

 is called blight ; is apt to affect wheat sown on intervale 

 grounds, adjoining waters which occasioned a heavy fog 

 in the morning. We know of no remedy for this. 



Mildew or rust is the principle obstacle to the growth 

 of wheat and rye in New-Engiand. It is said generally 

 to commence in warm rains, or a long season of warm, 

 moist weather. 



Mr. Butler attributes it to the application of rich ma- 

 nures ; to the cultivation of wheat upon a strong, or rich 

 soil ; or their two frequent application, or too long con- 

 tinuance upon light or moderate soils. 



The remedies against rust or mildew are : 



1. Cultivating hardy sorts of wheat. 



2. Early sowing. 



3. Raising early varieties. 



4. Thick sowing. 



5. Changes of seed. 



6. Consolidating the soil after sowing. 



7. Using saline manures. 



8. Improving the course of crops : and 



9. Exlirpating all plants that are recepticles of rust. 

 If a field of wheat or rye be evidently affected, and 



the progress of vegetation stopped, the only way iopre- 



