29?. [Assembly 



with a committee oi" the American institute, visited the farm of 

 H. W. Robinson, of Newburgh, to inspect his crop of wheat, con- 

 sisting 6f 18 acres, growing in tvVo fields. He told the committee 

 t^at he plowed up his land in the fall and sowed large quantities 

 of quick lime over the ground, and then plowed it before the 

 ■wheat was sown. The effect of tiiis was twofold- First— The 

 lime drank up the noxious acids which migiit exist in tlie soil. 

 Second— It had the effect to destroy the grubs and worms which 

 attack the roots bf tlie young wheat. At this day it is well known 

 that the smut and fly as well as the wea\il,aie reproduced by the 

 parent depositing an egg in the kernel of the wheat, near and in 

 the germ. This egg must be destroyed, or when the wheat has 

 become sown and grown, the egg hatches out and produces a mag- 

 got, which feeds upon the stalk or sprout of the wheat. This 

 maggot is formed into chrysalis, and hybernates or falls into a 

 state of cocodnry, like the silk-worm, which then produces a moth, 

 or'miller, or beetle. In this state the animal assails again the 

 wheat, by stinging and depositing the egg in the kernel of the 

 grain. The only remedy yet discovered to destroy these eggs is, 

 to wash the wheat clean and soak it in lime water from 4 to 12 

 hours. The wheat if now sown with ashes, will receive another 

 benefit, inasmuch as the house ashes will kill anybf theeggs which 

 remain possessed of vitality after the w^ashing in lime; besides, 

 the ashes will prevent the grubs and worms from assailing the 

 young sprout of the wheat in the ground. Perhaps it requires a 

 series of experimeuls to ascertcun how long wheat should be wash- 

 ed in alkali water to destroy the vitality of the. eggs deposited in 

 it, as also to learn how long wheat and grains may be soaked in 

 lime water and asho^s without destroying the sprout or germinat- 

 ing powers of the wheat. We have known it soaked twelve hours 

 in lime water without injuring the wheat, yet, at the same time, 

 effectually destroying the eggs deposited in it. To try an experi- 

 ment which will demonstrate the truth of our remarks, take a 

 fresh-laid hen's egg and dip it in a lye of ashes, hold it there 15 

 minutes or longer. This egg, when set under the- hen, will never 

 hatch or produce a chicken. The alkali has destroyed the repro- 

 ductive powers of tlie egg. Such is the effect oji all eggs of the 

 animal economy. 



