No. 7. 



AND G A R D E N E R S JOURNAL. 



lOl 



formation, functions, and peciilinr nature of animals 

 iind vegetables, but yet lliey may, in many rCBpccts, be 

 neeimilatetl; and thus, by comparison, the proper treat- 

 ment ol plants be etnipliged, and rendered more easy 

 of explanation and comprehension. I shall take leave 

 to state that the observations ajid e.vperience of many 

 years, have convinced me, that the opinions of the 

 great reformer of the medical profession, Mr. Aber- 

 nethy — " that the most nllhcting diseasea to which the 

 human species are subjected, ore generated in the 

 stomach, and consequently ore to be remedied by the 

 fltomach," — are perfectly just and well founded; and 

 I am also convinced that most of the diseases of ani- 

 mals and plants may be accounted for and remedied on 

 the same principles. From what has been said, il is 

 clear that vegetables cannot be supported without a due 

 supply of food, and that with those, as with annnals, 

 the quantity and quality of food must possess an equal 

 iuHuencc. Now, every man is aware that the qiialiti/ 

 of the food he consumes is equally as determined in 

 its effects as the quaniitij, and such, no doubt, is the 

 case with plants, as above observed; and when an an. 

 imal is constrained to live on meagre, impure food, it 

 is induced to consume a greater quantity, to make up 

 as much as possible for the deficiency of quality, and 

 the consequence is, a distension of the stomach and 

 bowels; and this is often followed by a poverty and cor- 

 ruption of the fluids, which produce disease and de- 

 bility; and the body is wasted by eruptions, and be- 

 comes a prey to rcrmin ; and when an animal is glut- 

 ted with ^r<?s5 and rich food, a Siirfeit is the conae- 

 quence, and it is subjected to a stagnation of the fluids, 

 inflammations and eruj^tione, which often end in mor- 

 tification and death; and plants, under the same cir- 

 ctimstances, are subject to the same consequences; and 

 tbess observations will be found correctly to apply to 

 ond afford a clear exemplification of the rust, or black 

 blight in wheat. 



On this subject Sir J. Sinclair says, " It appears 

 from an able paper, written by a distinguished natural- 

 ist, (Sir Joseph Banks,) that this disease is occasioned 

 by the growh of minute parasitical fungus, or mush- 

 rooms on the leaves, stems, and glumes, or chafi' ofthc 

 living plants; and that the roots of the fungus, inter- 

 cepting the sap intended by nature for the nutriment of 

 the grtin, render the grain lean and shrivelled, and in 

 some cases, rob it completely of its flour; nor is this 

 all, the straw becomes black and rotten, unfit for fod- 

 der, or little better than a caput inortuum, possessing 

 neither strength or substance." Andagain, "several 

 of the accidents above enumerated, may contribute to 

 the production of rust, but there are two additional 

 circumstances which likewise tend to promote it: first, 

 having the land in too rich a state for grain crops, and 

 y Becondly when too frequent a repetition of ciops of 

 wheat takes place; and it has been well observed, that 

 when crops intended to ripen their seed, are objects of 

 culture, there is not only wanted a degree of vigor and 

 luxuriance in the plants suflicient for the purpose, but 

 if the fertility of the soil be raised to a higher pitch 

 ihnn is necessary or coHsistent with the object, inju- 

 rious, rather than beneficial, consequences may be the 

 result: land may be too rich for grain crops, and it is 

 batter to keep it in a well balanced condition or in a 

 medium slate of productiveness for this purpose, than 

 jii too fertile a stale. The great quantity of sap and 

 juice in vegetables growing on highly cultivated lands, 

 it is evident, must necessarily render them more sus- 

 OGjUible of theefli^cts of sudden and extrenie changes, 

 and consequently, more liable to disease; besides, as 

 mushrooms are produced on beds of dung, gieat 

 quantities of manure must promote the growth of fun- 

 gi or para.iitical plants on the crops of wheat, if they 

 are once inf'ected — the wheat produced on the site of 

 .a dunghill is abcaijs rusted, even in the most favora- 

 ble seasons, and if the whole field is a species of dung- 

 hill, how can it escape ? 



A too fiequent repilion of crops of wheat, more es- 

 pecially when accompanied by great quantities of ma- 

 nure to force a crop, will often have the same eflfect. 

 The rust was but little known in the western or nor- 

 ihern parts of England, or the southern counties of 

 Scotland, until of late years, when every exertion has 

 b''en made to increase the quantity of that grain in 

 tho.^e countries.** 



T. A. Knight observer, " by crossing the different 

 vni ieties of wheat a new sort may be proilunA, which 

 V. ill coniplolely escape being rusted, although crops in 

 ihe neighborhood and in almost every district in the 

 c lunlry, may suflcr for it in the same year;** and he 

 then goes on to argue, " these circumstances tend to 

 prove, that the rust docs not depend solely on at- 

 mospheric influence; otherwise it could not be prevent- 

 ^(i by change of seed, or by the crossing of different 

 varietii-s." .Vow, this theory of Mr. Knight's is 



grounded on a superficial view of things, and is a 

 mere fallacious hypothesis. Indeed, all these great 

 naturalists appear to have bewildered themselves in 

 specious theory; ond |(pm not having traced the ope- 

 rations of nature to its source, have throughout, mis- 

 taken the effect (or the cause. 



Now, suppose a farmer was to find a sheep unhap- 

 pily reduced, and preyed upon by maggots, or the lar- 

 va of the fieeh-lly, he may very justly suppose that the 

 maggots reduced the sheep, and as justly expect that 

 whatever sheep were subjected to the maggots would 

 be reduced in the same manner — then what would be 

 the best and proper remedy ? Knowing the mag- 

 gots to be produced fioin eggs deposited by flies, 

 would he try to cover his sheep from the flies or at- 

 tempt to remove them where there were no Jlics ? — 

 Now, where is the fariuer or shepherd that does not 

 know that flesh • flics i^/7/ liot deposit their eggs on a 

 healliy part of a sheep, or if they do, that they will 

 not produce maggots 'I they know full well, that if a 

 sheep be diseased by eruptions, or if wounded, the 

 flies will find out those places, and there deposit their 

 eggs; and therefore the remedy is simple — cure and 

 prevent the disease, or protect the wounds, and the 

 evil is avoided — remove the cause and the effect ceases. 

 And very similar will be ibund the diseoee in wheat, 

 called the rust, or black blight, and its cause. The 

 fungus undoubtedly prcye upon that which is intended 

 to nourish and sustain the wheal, but what afforded an 

 attraction and lodgement for the fungus? tltis is the 

 grand question. It is staled thai the fungus is a par- 

 asitical plant, like the misleioe, but this is not the fact, 

 for the fungus has no power to attach itself to, or pen- 

 elrate the healthy stalhs of the wheat, any more than 

 the larva of the flesh-fly have the healthy shin of the 

 sheep. 



Any one who will examine the stalks of wheat grow- 

 ing on a luxuriant, rank soil, about the time of its first 

 showing the swelling (.f the ear, will perceive the 

 vessels to become ruptured, either from the luxuriant 

 flow of the sap upon the tender tops of the plants be- 

 ing checked by cold winds, or an unhealthy overful- 

 ness, or some other casual obstruction; and the sap 

 being thus suddenly checked, will rupture the vessels, 

 and ooze out through little slits, or longitudinal fis- 

 sures; the discharged matter will soon assume the ap- 

 pearance of a white jelly; os il dies, it will become 

 yellow, and then brown, and of a hard texture; and in 

 proportion as the sap-vessels are injured and destroy- 

 ed, and this exudation takes place, the plant must, of 

 course, more or less fail in its supply of nourishment 

 for the grain. In some cases, the strongest stalks will 

 not be able to push the ear beyond ihe leaf, and the 

 corn consequently, will be starved: and whilst the 

 season continues dry and cold, the exuded sap will re- 

 main like dry gum; but as it advances, ond the wea- 

 ther becomes warm and moist, the gum becomes moist, 

 soft, and putrefying, and then it forms and affords a nu- 

 tiitive bed for the mold or fungus, which grows and 

 increases until il is deprived of moisture, or is so re- 

 duced as to be insufficient to sustain it, when it dies; 

 and according as the season is favorable or unfavorable 

 to its growth, it produces a brown or black powdery 

 substance, in a proportional quality. Thus then, th". 

 foundation or cause of the rust of fnigus, is the pa- 

 trefijing matter discharged front tlie ruptured sap res- 

 sels of the plant ; and although the ruptures may be 

 occasioned by a contraction or obstruction of the ves- 

 sels by atmospheric influence; the over-fulness or 

 over-luxuriance of the plant produced by surfeit; or 

 the being glutted with rank and unwholesome food, 

 and Its incapacity of digestion, and unhealthy obstruc 

 tions lender it more liable to such injuries; and may 

 therefoje be considered as the general cause of the 

 diseose, blight or rust. 



I have planted wheat on a rank compost of dung, 

 which from its first appearance in the autumn, during 

 its growth in the winter ond in the spring, maintained 

 excesfcive luxuriance, but which was ultimately so re- 

 duced by rust as to be lendered weak, and incopable 

 of bringing its seed to perfection. At the same time, 

 and close alongside, I also planted wheat in a pure and 

 sweet sand, and supplied it with a solution or infusion 

 of rotten dung by way of fond; this never appeared 

 half so Inxuriant as the other, but the stalks nf straw 

 grew perfectly healthy, ond free from disease, and the 

 grain was of good quality. 



I would urge upon your numerous readers a serious 

 consideration of the above remarks: they are upon a 

 subject little understood, but which deserves the ex- 

 amination of every agriculturist throughout the Union. 

 The greatdiversity of opinion on this subject of blight, 

 must have arisen from the fact that the effect has been 

 mistaken for the cause, ond whilst that error continues, 

 there will be plenty of crups of rusted wheat. Will 



our friends look out for theai, as the almanacs say, 



now abou t. JACOB LIST. 



Fritm the Maine Farmer, 



Importance of .\gi'icultui'al Experiments. 



Mr. Holmes : — A spirit of agricultural improve- 

 ment is abroad in our country, and ihe subject is be. 

 ginning to excite tfio attention of government. An 

 abundance has been said, ond justly too, in praise of 

 agriculture. Other branches of industry are indeed 

 necessary in order to advance the great interests of the 

 country, but it is truth incontrovertible, that agricul- 

 ture lies at the bottom of every other interest. Agri- 

 culture furnishes Ihe means of increasing or extending 

 every other branch of national industry, also the means 

 of prosecuting every kind of public improvements ; 

 some political economists have attempted to prove that 

 commerce is superior to agriculture in point of utility, 

 and some writers have placed the mechanic before the 

 farmer, but the arguments of both crumble at the touch 

 of truth. The farmer and the mechanic are creators 

 of the materials from which the merchant derives his 

 wealth, ond the mechonic, what is he if the farmer re- 

 fuses his aid 7 A skillful mechanic (especially one 

 who manufactures superior implements of husbandry) 

 is a public benefiictor ; but of what avail is the most 

 consummate skill, if the farmer neither purchases nor 

 consumes t Agriculture furnishes a healthful and 

 profitable employment to three-fourths of our popula- 

 tion. No employmentconduces in so high a degree to 

 preserve the moral health of the community. Where 

 can rational liberty find a safer asylum than in a coun- 

 try where the great body of the people ore actively en- 

 gaged in agricultural industry and in agricultural im- 

 provements 7 Every branch of industry, except agri- 

 culture, is liable to be overdone, and when this hap- 

 pens, distress more or less severe is sure to follow. — 

 This counti7 is now groaning under the eflects of ex- 

 cessive foreign trade. Who ever heard of a national 

 distress occasioned by a spirited agriculture ? If the 

 merchants who imported silks and other gewgaws from 

 Europe, ond by so doing involved our people in debt, 

 had been skillful industrious farmers, who will pre- 

 tend that the country would have sufl'ered as it now 

 does ? Science is indispensable in order to the suc- 

 cess of agriculture, but experiment is the great lever 

 of improvement. The business of science or theory is 

 to reason on facts : who can be o good farmer without 

 reasoning 1 The business of experiment .s to test the 

 truth of theory, and thereby come at certoin knowl- 

 edge. Every fanuer who tries experiments in agri- 

 culture for the public good, deserves the gratitude of 

 the whole country. But individualjefforts ore insuffi. 

 cient, there must be union of efforts in order to meet 

 with great success. Suppose that 100 farmers in dif- 

 ferent parts of this State can be found, wbo would be 

 willing to appropriate each one half acre of land for the 

 purpose of trying some experiment in the culture of 

 wheat. Suppose these 100 farmers can act in concert, 

 and each agree to try some different experiment, and 

 continue their eflorts we will say for 5 years, varying 

 the mode of experiment each year, only think! fi\e 

 hundred diflbrent experiments skillfully conducted : 

 who can tell what such a course of manogcment may 

 accomplish ? But if 100 formers acting unitedly con 

 accomplish so much or try so many experiments v/ith- 

 out imposing a heavy burden upon any individual of 

 the association, what may not the whole State accom- 

 plish for every branch of agriculture, if backed by the 

 energies of government. That government which 

 produces the largest amount of human happiness is 

 certainly the best, whatever may be its style or ihe nome 

 by which it is known. Human happiness should cer- 

 tainly be the object of every good government. In this 

 country more than ony other, we expect the measures 

 of government to be such that the happiness of the peo- 

 pie be directly promoted. Every person in the com- 

 munity is directly or indirectly benefited by on im- 

 proved agriculture : and if we hove ony regord (or the 

 democrocy of numbers, certoinly the agricultural in- 

 terest should be always in the front rank. An active 

 government in a country possessing such facilitiesaa 

 the State of Moine, con not fail to couse to le mode agri- 

 cultural improvements of a very high order. How- 

 ever the case may be with a sluggish government, 

 some inded may be found in our Stale, who think ihat 

 the government ehould do nothing to push forward 

 agricultural improvements; but whether such opinions 

 arise from " eonslitutiona! scruples," or whether it is 

 thought to be bad policy, in which the Stale should not 

 engage, I am not able to determine. 1 think thai 

 sound policy and justice require that the government 

 give a spirited support to the agricultural interest : — 

 Let the united voice of our yeomanry from one ex- 

 tremity nf the Stale to the other be, We ilemand it of 

 yoii- JOHN E. ROI.FE. 



