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Elkton, June 24th, 1810, 

 Read August 14th, 1810. 



Gentlemen, 



A few years ago, I informed you of a distemper in 

 jny wheat, which I call a decay in the root, others call 

 it sedge wheat. This malady continues with an increas- 

 ing spread. 



From information that on land where the red chaff 

 had been destroyed, the white wheat would succeed, 

 by sowing it the next rotation of crops. 



Last fall I tried the experiment, on about two acres, 

 in a field that had been destroyed three years ago, by 

 sowing part of the land that had been affected with red 

 chaff and part with white wheat. The red chaff lan- 

 guid : white recovering. 



From about the 15th of March to the middle of May, 

 the whole appeared nearly dead, or what is generally call- 

 ed sedge wheat. At present the white wheat is making 

 considerable progress; and if it ripens clear of rust, may 

 be half a crop, while the red chaff, dont seem to recover. 

 As there must be a cause for effects, my hypothesis, or 

 reasoning on this subject is, that it is well known that 

 tlie red chaff bearded wheat, dont stool or throw up as 

 many stalks from the root, as other wheat, it requires 

 more seed to produce a crop equally thick, of course, 

 may not put out as many side roots, but depends more 

 on the main tap root for nourishment. 



The tap root being injured, prevents its recovering, 

 us other wheats do. This may be the cause of tlie red 



