SMUTS. 81 



will also avail for another^ and while cleaning it of 

 tlie spores of ^^ smut/^ tliose of ^^ bunt ^^ will also be 

 removed. The facts that we rely upon chiefly as 

 indicating the remedy are that the spores are only 

 superficially in contact with the seed corn_, and that 

 they are of less specific gravity^ causing them to 

 float on the sm^face of any fluid in which the corn 

 may be immersed. Again_, the spores of many 

 species of fungi will not germinate after saturation 

 with certain chemical solutions. One of the most 

 successful and easy of application is a strong solu- 

 tion of Glauber^s salts^ in which the seed corn is to 

 be washed^ and afterwards^ whilst still moist_, dusted 

 over with quick-lime. The rationale of this process 

 consists in the setting free of caustic soda by the 

 sulphuric acid of the Glauber^s salt combining with 

 the lime^ and converting it into sulphate of lime. 

 The caustic soda is fatal to the germination of the 

 spores of ^^ bunt/^ and probably also of ^^ smut ; ^^ 

 although, as already intimated, except in cases 

 where these aflections of the corn are very preva- 

 lent, we shall be informed by the agriculturist that 

 the cost of labour in the prevention will not be com- 

 pensated in the cure. 



Experience has also taught us that many fungi 

 flourish in proportion to the wetness of the season, 

 or dampness of the locality. A wet year is always 

 exceedingly prolific in fungi, and a dry season corre- 

 spondingly barren, at least in many kinds, whilst 

 others, as the experience of 1864 has convinced us, are 



G 



