Report  on  Wheat- Mildew. 
673 
Abstract  of  Replies  received  in  Answer  to  Inquiries  as  to  Prevalence  of 
Mildew,  and  the  Conditions  under  which  it  is  Developed — continued. 
L 
County. 
40.  Hants 
41.  Do.  .. 
42.  Here- 
ford. 
43.  Herts.. 
ii. 
Name  and  Address 
of 
Correspondent. 
Kent,  G.  E., 
contd. 
Stratton,  J., 
Ckilcombe, 
Winchester. 
Duckham,  T., 
M.P., 
Baysham 
Court, 
Sellack. 
Fordham,  E.  K., 
AshwellyBaldocJc 
in. 
Reply  to  Queries  as 
to  Prevalence  of 
Mildew. 
This  county 
is  perhaps 
more  liable 
to  mildew 
than  any 
other  part 
of  England. 
This  district  is 
not  subject 
to  serious 
attacks. 
Not  very  sub- 
ject. 
IV. 
Extracts  from  Replies  to  other  Questions. 
time  of  sowing,  or  the  effect  of 
frost  heaving  the  land  and  ex- 
posing the  root ; and  just  before 
harvest  the  straw  becomes 
darkened,  and,  if  examined,  the 
straw  quite  decayed  just  above 
the  root. 
The  light  districts  suffer  especially 
when  the  season  is  wet  and  the 
crop  of  straw  heavy.  A weedy 
crop  or  a thin  are  most  subject ; 
frost  is,  in  my  opinion,  often  the 
cause  of  the  disease.  I have 
seen  a field  in  which  was 
a barberry-bush,  and  mildew 
extended  its  ravages  from  this 
spot.  This  happened  whenever 
the  field  was  planted  with  wheat 
(triennially),  until  the  tree  was 
eradicated,  since  which  the  corn 
has  not  been  blighted.  Sow 
early  and  thickly  where  mildew 
is  feared;  cut  the  corn  imme- 
diately alter  it  is  seized  by  the 
disease. 
In  1867,  after  a frost  on  the  24th 
June,  up  to  which  time  there 
had  been  a grand  prospect,  the 
wheat  changed  immediately, 
and  the  straw  was  covered  with 
red  rust ; the  yield  was  very  bad, 
not  one  half  the  previous  pro- 
mise. In  1877,  1878,  1879, 
1880,  1881,  cold  wet  seasons, 
much  of  the  wheat  in  this  dis- 
trict was  mildewed — the  low- 
lying  lands  are  more  subject — 
soil,  sandy  loam.  Wheat  is 
sown  after  clover  ley ; the 
young  clover  is  folded  over  in 
the  autumn,  and  no  other  ma- 
nure is  applied.  Essex  Rough 
Chaff  in  1867,  and  Golden  Drop 
in  1877,  in  the  same  field,  badly 
mildewed — a thin  plant  is  most 
liable. 
Farm  about  145  feet  above  sea- 
level  ; soil,  gravel  on  chalk  marl. 
