680 
Report  on  Wheat-Mildew. 
Abstract  of  Replies  received  in  Answer  to  Inquiries  as  to  Prevalence  of 
Mildew,  and  the  Conditions  under  which  it  is  Developed — continued. 
I. 
II. 
III. 
IV. 
Name  and  Address 
Reply  to  Queries  as 
County. 
of 
to  Prevalence  of 
Extracts  from  Replies  to  other  Questions. 
Correspondent. 
Mildew. 
■67.  North- 
ampton. 
68.  Notts  .. 
69.  Oxon  .. 
Rooke,  John, 
contd. 
Smith,  Wool- 
ley  T., 
Stokingham, 
Newark 
Dash  wood, 
F.  L., 
Rirtlivgton. 
No  part  of  my 
farm  is  sub- 
ject in  any 
marked  de- 
gree to  at- 
tacks of 
mildew. 
I have  not 
suffered 
from  mil- 
dew in  many 
seasons. 
I attribute  the  immunity  en- 
joyed by  this  district  to  its 
elevated  position,  and  to  the 
abundance  of  calcareous  matter 
in  the  soil. 
General  results  of  my  experience: 
1.  Land  on  which  wheat  is  most 
liable  to  mildew,  light  peaty 
soils,  or  black  vegetable  mould 
overlying  silt  sand  or  gravel. 
2.  In  the  case  of  arable  land 
traversed  by  brooks,  it  is  very 
common  to  find  in  the  lower 
parts  of  the  fields  adjoining  the 
brook  course,  portions  of  land 
which  have  been  embanked, 
broken  up,  and  brought  into 
cultivation ; the  wheat  on  such 
parts  is  very  commonly  attacked 
when  the  adjoining  lands  wholly 
escape;  such  land  is  very  apt 
“ to  run  to  straw,”  and  to  lodge, 
even  after  it  has  been  many 
years  in  cultivation.  3.  In  the 
case  of  all  lodged  straw,  the 
straw  is  commonly  more  or  less 
mildewed.  4.  Wet  or  damp 
sunless  weather  is  very  condu- 
cive to  mildew.  I think  also 
the  shade  of  hedgerow  timber, 
woods,  and  plantations  encour- 
ages it.  5.  On  lands  liable  to 
mildew,  I think  high  farming 
rather  promotes  the  evil  than 
otherwise.  6.  A crop  which, 
having  been  thinly  sown,  or 
having  lost  root  from  wireworm 
or  frost,  has  recovered  itself  by 
“tillering”  or  “stooling,”  is 
more  liable  to  mildew  than  a 
crop  which  was  full  and  regular 
from  the  first. 
Years  ago  we  heard  more  of  dis- 
eases affecting  the  wheat  crop 
than  we  have  of  late  years,  ex- 
cepting the  seasons  of  1879, 
1880,  1881.  I attribute  many 
of  the  diseases  of  wheat  to  late 
