160 TRITICUM. 



[CLASS HI. ORDER II. 



appear to be very usefiil.t But their growth depends upon so many 

 accidental circumstances, that even by the most judicious manage- 

 ment, and careful treatment, their appearance will not be altogether 

 prevented. 



GENUS XLVIII. BRACHYPO'DIUM. Beauv. False Brome-grass. 



Gen. Char. Inflorescence somewhat racemose. Spikelets alternate, 

 somewhat compressed, many-flowered, footstalks short. Glumes 

 unequal, transverse. Glumelles two, the outer valve mostly awned 

 at the extremity. — Name from /3fa%yf, short, and "Jtovq, iro^o^, a 

 fqct; in reference to the short footstalks of the spikelets. 



+ The following experiments in the preparation of Wheat for seed from a smutty sample 

 were made on the 15th of October, 1835, in the middle of an eight acre field, a clover 

 layer. The results have been communicated to the Essex Herald by Mr. Smyth Liingley, 

 of Church Hall, Kelvedon; and we have no doubt the information thus conveyed will be 

 acceptable to our agricultural readers:— 



No. 1. — Washed three times in clean water, and skimmed every time ; then dipped in 

 wood-ashes lees with 211)s. of arsenic boiled in 20 gallons of the liquor, after which, the 

 Wheat well limed and sown. No bladder or smutty ears. 



No. 2.— Not washed ; steeped in the liquor and skimmed, and well limed. About 

 1500 bladdered or smutty ears to the acre. 



No. 3. — Not washed ; wetted with lees and no arsenic, but salted instead, and limed. 

 About 2250 smutty ears to the acre. 



No. 4. — Washed as the first, in three clean waters,- no arsenic, no salt, but dipped in 

 the lees, and well limed. About 2250 smutty ears to the acre, the same as No. 3. 



No. 5. — Steeped in lees only for about four hours, and limed ; not washed, nor any 

 arsenic or salt. About 4500 smutty ears to the acre. 

 No. 6. — Sown perfectli/ dry. About 11,500 smutty ears to the acre. 

 No. 7. — The seed Wheat rubbed well in the hands with a quantity of bladders or smut 

 balls, of course not washed, but dipped in thfc lees and arsenic, and well limed. About 

 ISjT.W smutty ears to the acre. 



No. 1 smutty ears. 



2 1,500 ., ditto. 



3 2,250 ditto. 



4 2,250 ditto. 



5 4,500 ditto. 



6 11,500 ditto. 



7 18,750 ditto. 



280 average ears of Wheat thrashed is a pint measure. 

 No. 1. — No loss or waste or damage by smut. 



2. — 5,1 pints loss per acre, and Wheat injured. 



3. — 11 ditto ditto. 



4. — 11 ditto ditto. 



5. — 22 ditto ditto. 



6. — 30 ditto ditto. 



7. — 67 ditto loss to the acre, or about one bushel, and the Wheat much 



injured. 



In the field where the experiment was tried, there were 750 sheaves to the acre, on the 



average. The smutty ears were gleaned from several sheaves, which in No. 7 averaged 



about 25 smutty ears to the sheaf, which makes the above quantity. The other sheaves 



were gleaned accordingly. 



It is not the loss of smutty Wheat altogether (which amounts to a bushel in No. 7), but 

 the damage done to the Wheat that goes to market. When good Wheat is worth £12 10s, 

 per load, if Wheat is much smutty it will lessen the value 503 a load. 



In some fields this year, from 50 to 100 smutty earn may be gleaned out of one sheaf ; 

 that is, from to four bushels per acre waste. 



