Report  on  Wheat- Mildew. 
645 
for  two  or  three  ? Occasional  resort  to  the  barberry  may  be 
necessary  (unless  some  other  plant  will  do  as  well),  and  renewed 
life  and  vigour  may  result  from  this  resort,  particularly  if 
cecidium-spores  are  a sexual  product. 
I have  dwelt  at  some  length  on  this  part  of  the  subject, 
because  hitherto  the  only  practical  remedy  for  the  disease  which 
has  been  suggested  has  been  the  extermination  of  the  barberry 
tree.  If  other  plants  can  perform  the  same  office,  it  seems  hardly 
worth  while  to  wage  war  against  this  shrub.  I cannot  consider 
Mr.  Carruthers’s  only  suggestion  by  way  of  remedy,  viz.,  that  all 
mildewed  straw  should  be  burned,  a practical  one,  as  it  would 
involve  the  entire  destruction  of  the  straw  throughout  the  great 
wheat-growing  district  of  the  fens  year  after  year. 
I proceed  now  to  notice  the  replies  which  I have  received 
to  my  circular  of  inquiries,  and  at  the  same  time  I shall 
avail  myself  of  information  which  I have  received  orally  from 
witnesses  not  less  competent  to  form  opinions  than  those  who 
have  done  me  the  honour  to  put  pen  to  paper.  I shall  also 
interpolate  the  opinions  which  I myself  have  formed  from 
observation,  and  1 shall  notice  some  of  the  replies  which  Arthur 
Young  received  from  his  correspondents  some  eighty  years  ago. 
On  reference  to  my  circular  * it  will  be  seen  that  my  questions 
were  arranged  under  the  following  heads  : — 
I.  Districts  in  which  Mildew  is  prevalent. 
II.  Mildew  years. 
III.  Conditions  under  which  the  Disease  is  developed  to  a 
great  degree. 
IV.  Situation  of  Farm  or  Field  attacked. 
V.  Climate  (6).| 
VI.  Soil  (1). 
VII.  Previous  Cultivation  (7,  8). 
VIII.  Description  of  Wheat  (10). 
IX.  Time  of  Sowing  (2). 
X.  Seed  used. 
XI.  Character  of  Crop. 
XII.  Flowering  Period. 
XIII.  First  Observation  of  the  Disease. 
XIV.  Time  of  Harvest. 
XV.  General  Observations. 
I propose  to  observe  generally  the  order  of  these  questions, 
but  I have  found  it  convenient  in  some  cases  to  bracket  two  or 
three  headings.  On  some  points  I have  little  to  communicate, 
* App.  I.,  p.  664. 
t The  Arabic  numerals  in  brackets  refer  to  Arthur  Yeung’s  questions  and  the 
replies  thereto. 
