2oB ■^^''< W. Jones on the Mildew in IVbeat. 



endeavours to discover some means to alleviate an evil of so great a magnitude, 

 and I can with great truth say, from higher considerations than private advantage ; 

 because when this calamity occurs in a great degree, it must abate the comforts of 

 the higher orders of the community, by seeing the lower orders reduced to the 

 greatest distress. If, therefore, I have employed that leisure whicb does not fall to 

 the lot of every farmer, to investigate this subject with such unremitting attention, 

 and although men of more scientific inquiry should not be inclined to subscribe to 

 my hypothesis respecting the effects of frost, without bringing it to the test of the 

 thermometer, yet I flatter myself it will be allowed that the knowledge of the cause 

 is of less importance, than that of discovering a preventive of the recurrence of the 

 evil, and a method of lessening its effects when it may occur; I have therefore to 

 hope the principle I have laid down, as to the necessary attention to the sort of 

 wheat the least liable to mildew, and the most proper time to cut such as may be 

 affected, together with the subsequent management of it, will be to every practical 

 farmer so apparent, that he will omit no opportunity of putting it in practice for 

 his own private emolument, as also for the public advantage.* 



* In case the weather was likely to be rainy, I would put the sheaves on the ridges (where 

 the land is ploughed in ridges) ; but if it was likely to be bright sun-shine, I should prefer 

 putting them in the furnaces ; in both cases beginning with placing two sheaves side by side, and 

 another on top of them, covering the ears of these with three other sheaves laid in the like 

 manner, taking care that the tops of the two under sheaves incline towards each other, to secure 

 the ears from the rain and sun ; for I would be as careful to screen them from the latter as the 

 tormer. 



