THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



289 



Plot 1. 



Sown 

 with one 

 pound of 

 clean 

 undress- 

 e d seed 



Plot 2. 



Plot 3. 



Sown with 

 one pound of 

 same seed in- 

 fected with 

 bunt fungus, 

 and steeped 

 in saturated 

 solution of 

 chloride of 

 lime. 



Sown with 

 one pound of 

 same seed in- 

 fected with 

 bunt, and 

 steeped in sat- 

 urated solu- 

 tion of sul- 

 phate of soda, 

 and dried 

 with quick- 

 lime sprin- 

 kled over it. 



Plot 4. 



Sown 

 with one 

 pound of 

 same seed 

 infected 

 with bunt 

 and un- 

 dressed. 



The number of ears contained in the produce 

 of each plot were counted, and the number of 

 sound and smutted ears ascertained. In the 

 same manner the number of straws deprived of 

 the ears in 1 lb. weight was ascertained. The 

 following was the result: — 





Total No. 



No. of 



No. of 



No. of 





of ears 



sound 



smutted 



straws in 





in 1 lb. 



ears in 



ears in 



1 lb. 



Plot. 



weight. 



1 lb. 



lib. 



weight. 





weight. 



weight. 



1 



336 



336 



None. 



234 



2 



364 



362 



2 



268 



3 



632 



352 



320 



278 



4 



700 



360 



340 



330 



The method of using the chloride of lime as 

 a wheat steep is as follows : — Make a solution 

 by mixing one pound of fresh chloride of lime 

 in one gallon of water, frequently stirring them 

 with a stick in a ivooden vessel for two hours. 

 Throw the seed intended to be steeped in a large 

 quantity of water, frequently stirring it, and re- 

 moving all the swimming grains. Shere off the 

 water, and then pour over the seed a sufficient 

 quant. ty of the chloride of lime solution to cover 

 it, allowing it to remain for two hours. Then 

 pour off the solution, which may be again used, 

 and dry the seed with fine dry sand, peat mould, 

 lime, or any drying powdery substance ; it is 

 then fit for sowing. 



With regard to the prevention of the true 

 smut, the uredo segetum, unfortunately we know 

 of no method so efficacious as those used for the 

 prevention of the bunt fungus. This arises 

 from its early dispersion, and the consequent 

 contamination of the ground. In cases where 

 there is reason to suspect that the soil is infected 

 by the spores of the smut, the only practical 

 method of proceeding is to treat it largely with 

 stale urine or quick-lime, and to avoid cropping 

 the land with grain for two or three years, as I 

 have observed that the spores lose their power of 

 germinating if long kept. 



As some of this fungus may be found in a 

 perfectly ripe crop of corn, especially of barley, 

 it is desirable that the seed should be steeped 

 similarly to that of the wheat. This will un- 

 doubtedly destroy any of the spores that may 

 adhere to the seed. — Farmer's Magazine. 



The result of this experiment warrants us m 

 drawing the following conclusions : — 



1. That wheat seed infected Avith bunt fungus, 

 and sown, produces plants the grain of which is 

 filled with a similar fungus. 



2. That the presence of the fungus is inju 

 rious to the straw as well as destructive to the 

 grain. 



3. That the steeping seed infected with the 

 bunt fungus in certain chemical solutions more 

 or less prevents the production of the fungus in 

 the seed of the future plants. 



4. That steeping the infected seed in a satu- 

 rated solution of Glauber's salts, and afterwards 

 drying it with quick-lime, has but little effect in 

 preventing the production of the fungus in the 

 future plants. 



^ 5. That steeping the infected seed in a solu- 

 tion of chloride of lime is nearly a specific in 

 preventing the production of the bunt fungus in 

 the future plants, and very much more effectual 

 for this purpose than the solution of Glauber's 

 salts and drying with quick-lime. 



^ Since the date of this experiment, the chlo- 

 ride of lime solution has b^en used as a wheat 

 steep by several agriculturists in different parts 

 of the country, with the same satisfactory re- 

 sults ; and in confirmation of this statement, I 

 take the present opportunity of reading to the 

 meeting a few communications I have received 

 upon the subject. 



CONTENTS OF No. IX. 

 Fourth Annual Exhibition of the Va. State 



Agricultural Society, 

 Machine for Husking Corn. — Geology, 

 Mediterranean Wheat, 

 Cultivation of Wheat, 



Harvesting Wheat. — Gen. John B. Cocke's 

 Wheat Crop. — Use of Phosphates on Clo- 

 ver and Peas, .... 



Disease in Chickens. — Free Acid in Soils, 



To Clean Chess out of Wheat, 



Cycles of Cold and Hot Weather, . 



American Star Palverizcr and Ilarrovr — W. 

 W. Johnson's Felly Cutting Machine, . 



Sweeney. — Gapes in Chickens. — Practical 

 Hints on Preserving Fruits, &c., 



Self-Acting Egg Hatching Machine. — Man- 

 ufacture of Soap, 



Editorials, .... 277- 



The best Plough, . . ^ . 



Experiment on the Elementary Principles of 

 Manure as applied to the growth of Wheat 



The Premium List of the State Agricultu- 

 ral Fair of Sputh Carolina, 



Good and Bad Plastering. — Portable Cider 

 Mills, , . . 



The Corn Crop — Selecting Seed, 



Chloride of Lime as a Remedy for Smut, . 



List of Payments, .... 



Advertisements, , . .291- 



261 

 264 

 265 

 266 



268 

 269 

 271 

 272 



273 



274 



275 

 281 

 282 



283 



284 



285 

 286 

 288 

 290 

 292 



