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287 



OBSERVATIONS concerning 



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that I have tried, has been attacked by them both; but 

 from barley and rye's conftantly efcaping the weevil, I 

 am at prefent perfwaded their protedion happens only 

 from their beards or awns; therefore a long bearded wheat 

 would be worth propagating for a trial, as I never heard 

 the bread made from fuch ever objected to, nor indeed its 

 increafe complained of. This I fay, believing that thofe 

 gentlemen who tell us that bearded wheat has been deftroy- 

 ed by the fly weevil, are fome how miftaken, from the 

 improbability of the fly's getting into the capfules through 

 thofe awns. They give for a reafon, that the awn in 

 wheat never flicks to the grain, as it does in barley; but 

 as I never faw rye the leaft afFeded by the fly, which is 

 of a fimilar growth with a grain of wheat, and has no 

 xawn growing to it, though the hufk has; I muft conclude 

 it may be ftill fome miftake in the aflerter; for certainly 

 thofe awns, even oij the hufls:, if any thing long, mufl: 

 cmbarrafs the fly, and prevent his mifchievous purpofe. 



Having thus, my good friend, endeavoured to comply 

 with your requeft, it remains that I fhould make fome apo- 

 logy for the length of it; but if we confider enquiries in- 

 to nature mufl: be more or lefs prolix, according to the 

 helps that can be got, you poflibly will think any endea- 

 vour to be fhorter, might have left my own conclufionlefs 



clear and intelligible. I know not how convincing my ar- 

 guments may be, but you have my free leave to make ufe 

 of them as you pleafe; and I fliall be glad, through your 

 means, to read anything that mayfliew wherein I am mif- 

 taken. 



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 \ 



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Sabine-Hall, 

 July 2'^y 1768. 



I am, dear Sir, 



Your very refpedlful humble fcrvant, 



LANDON CARTER. 



SUBJECT, by /y^^ Committee /Husbandry- 



N enquiry into the means whereby theinjury of wheat 



in America from flies, maybe leffcned or prevented, 



IS attended with difRcuitics and uncertainty* here; bccaufe 



the 



i\ 



