80 
PREVENTION OF THE SMUT. 
if they exist, being the effect of the distemper and not 
the cause, their natural growth being upon putrid or 
decaying substances. 
Respecting the smut, the usual method of brining 
the seed is only one in use as a preventative. Mr. I. 
of Kidderminster, who is, and has been very largely in 
practice both as a grower and manufacturer of wheat, 
informed me, that their usual method was to pour down 
the seed wheat in a heap, then flattening, or making a 
hollow in the top of the heap, to pour in brine, or urine, 
or both, till it was well saturated, and then drying it 
with quick lime in that state to sow it, when this was 
done the crop was uninjured by smut; when neglected 
their crop has been so smutty that they have not chused 
to use it in the manufacture of flour for bread ; but 
have preferred selling it to the starch makers at an in¬ 
ferior price. It is well understood in this country, that 
no miller of character will buy wheat in any degree in¬ 
jured by smut, but at a very inferior price. 
Mr. C. prefers a large tub of brine, or mixed with 
urine; it should be strong enough to swim an egg, and 
the wheat sifted or gently poured in, and whatever 
swims skimmed off, and then dried with lime, after- 
drawing off the liquor to be used again as before ; this 
he believes from experience and observation to be quite 
effectual in preventing the smut. 
Observations .—This latter method is certainly pre¬ 
ferable to the first; but if the liquor should get fouled 
by smut dust, it is unfit for further use ; in the former 
case the liquor is used but once, and is far the best me¬ 
thod, but the operation is imperfect; it has been 
proved by experiments made in Northamptonshire, 
and which I have reported to the Board, and which 
have been corroborated by experiments of my own, 
that 
