•I 14, SMUT IK WHEAT. 



decidedly of opinion, that fmut in the feed will produce fmut 

 and ufe prepara- >" ^he crop, unlefs certain means are ufed to prevent it. With 

 tions. this intention I have fome where feen a variety of preparations 



recommended, in fome of wliich arfenic was one of the in- 

 gredients. The farmers in this neighbourhood prepare their 

 feed wheat in one or other of the following methods. 

 Steeping in Formerly the wheat was immerfed about twelve hours in 



^'''"'' a flrong folution of common fait in water, and afterwards 



dried by mixing it with a fufficient quantity of lime newly 

 flaked, 

 vetting, Of late years, in place of Immerfing it, they pour a quantity 



of the faline folution over it on the floor, and after mixing the 

 whole well together, dry it with lime as before. 



Br treatment Another method which is now pretty generally adopted, is 



with lime water [ ; ^,^^.^ j- , -^ ^^ 



only. 



A quantity of boiling water is poured upon quick lime, 



and kept conftantly fiirred till the lime is reduced to powder, 

 when it is immediately mixed with the grain. No great ac- 

 curacy is ufed in afcertaining the proportions ; five or fix 

 pounds of lime, and three gallons of boiling water fre about 

 fufficient to prepare five bulhels of wheat. In reafoning 

 a priori, one would be apt to fuppofe, that the vegetative 

 powers of the grain would be materially injured by this 

 boiling compofition, but experience proves the contrary. 

 Expeiiment. Amidft this diverfity of opinion oti the caufe of fmut, I 



of^ibund^nT" wiQied to afcertain the truth,, if poffible, by experiment. 

 fmutty wheat Accordingly, fo early as December 1798, I mixed intimately 

 hViF of'ttiiswas ^"^^^^''^"^ equal meafures of found wheat and grains conlifting 

 fteeped in brine entirely of fmut. The heap was then divided into two equal 



*'°'',*T'^|J^*'.°""» parts; one of them was put into a faturated folution of fait 

 and halt lettun- . ^ , • . i- 



prepared. '" water for twelve hours, and then mixed with quick lime. 



The other part was fubjeded to no preparation whatever. 

 Five or fix days afterwards they were both planted in drills on 

 Both parcels ^ fouth border, about nine or ten yards apart. Both parcels 

 were planted, came up about the fame time, and while in blade, no differ- 

 ence could be perceived. While the ear was yet inveloped 

 by the blade, I cautioufly opened feveral of both crops, and 

 in fome of that whicii bad undergone no preparation, a con- 

 fiderable difference was obfervable. Some of the embrio 

 grains were opened, and in place of a milky juice, they con- 

 tained only a fmall quantity of a whitiih fuhfiance, in which, 



by 



