Report  on  Wheat- Mildew. 
649 
sally  modified  by  the  application  of  large  dressings  of  the 
underlying  clay.  As  a rule  it  will  be  found  that  of  these  four 
descriptions  of  soil  the  strong  land  suffers  least,  the  “ silt  ” 
and  “ skirt  ” land  about  equally,  and  the  pure  peat  lands  most  of 
all ; but  that  where  these  peat  lands  have  been  recently  clayed, 
they  are  much  more  healthy  and  less  subject  to  mildew  than 
they  were,  and  even  less  so  than  the  “ silt  and  “ skirt  ” lands 
are.  In  1881  the  comparative  immunity  from  this  disease  of 
the  strong  lands  in  Marsh-land  (Norfolk)  was  very  marked  in 
degree,  and  that  these  soils  are  far  less  frequently  subject  to 
very  serious  injury  than  the  lighter  loams  and  silt  is  notorious. 
Now  no  theory  of  altitude,  or  climate,  or  humidity  of  atmosphere 
can  account  for  the  difference  which  undoubtedly  exists.  Is  it 
not  probable  that  the  cause  is  to  be  sought  for  either  in  the 
chemical  constitution  of  the  soil  or  its  mechanical  condition. 
Referring  to  the  answers  which  I have  received,  I find  that  a 
very  considerable  proportion  of  those  correspondents  who  specify 
the  soil  on  which  their  crops  have  been  mildewed,  describe 
them  as  clay,  loam,  alluvial,  or  strong  lands  ; while  peat,  vege- 
table mould,  and  fen  soils  come  next  in  order  ; gravelly  and 
light  soils  being  represented  by  few  examples.*  Now  it  would 
not  be  fair  to  take  these  replies  as  representative  of  the  whole 
country,  or  to  press  them  as  conclusive  evidence  ; but  taking 
them  for  what  they  are  worth,  they  do  show  a remarkable 
preponderance  of  opinion  in  one  direction.  It  may  seem  at 
first  sight  that  they  tell  against  the  former  statement  as  to  the 
strong  lands  in  the  fen  country  ; but  it  must  be  remembered 
that  the  fen  and  peat  soils  form  a very  small  proportion  of  the 
country,  and  that  they  may  suffer  more  than  the  strong  lands, 
though  represented  by  fewer  correspondents  ; and  further,  that 
though  they  are  light  lands  they  differ  greatly  from  most  of 
those  soils  which  are  usually  described  by  that  epithet.  If  we 
turn  now  to  A.  Young’s  collection  of  opinions,  we  shall  find 
a considerable  number  of  them  in  accord  with  those  which  I 
have  collected.  It  may,  I think,  then  be  stated  that  mildew 
appears  to  be  much  more  prevalent  on  peat  and  clay  soils  than 
on  gravel  and  light  lands. 
* Classified  Summary  of  replies  as  to  Soils : — 
Soils  on  which 
frequent  attacks 
are  reported. 
Loam,  clay,  alluvial,  or  strong  soils  17  replies 
Peat,  vegetable  mould,  fen  soils  ..  5 „ 
Gravel 1 „ 
Light  soils 1 » 
Soils  on  which 
occasional  attacks 
are  reported. 
8 replies. 
1 
1 
2 
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YOL.  XIX. — S.  S. 
21 
12  , 
2 u 
