M f L D E \V. 
367 
light, loamy, and rich, ones. 2. Late-fown crops. 3. 
That there is very little difference in filiations; but, if 
any, high ones have the advantage. 4. That the quantity 
of feed has little or no advantage; but drilling the feed 
has, on account of the greater and uniform depth. 5. 
.That the writer never knev.’ any difference between old 
arid new feed, with regard to the mildew in wheat. 6. 
That he attributes the foie caufe of the mildew in wheat 
to mild winters, and to the inflammation of oxygen gas 
at the eve of harveft. 7. That early cutting from early 
lowing, has the greateft advantage, but not before the 
milk in the grain is completely coagulated. 
It is all'o Hated, that in Staffordlhire Dr. Lewis made 
fome obfervations on the difeafe, and means of preventing 
it. That he does not think it of confequence to the 
queltion, at w'hat time of the feafon wheat is Town, be- 
caufie the period of the approach of the mildew cannot 
be even conjectured, as it has ever been variable. That 
it has not appeared, that any particular mode of fowing 
has been a prefervative to the crop. That drilled corn, 
rather than broad-call, is more eaiily cured, mult be 
granted, if the drill be wide enough to admit of a perfon 
to fet his foot between the rows ; becaufe with a long pole, 
which, by means of Itraps, might be fufpended from his 
lhoulders acrofs his brealt to a proper height, he might 
brufli off the greater part of the dew, as he walked up and 
down, to the extent of three yards on each hand: and 
indeed, in a field of broad-caff, the fame means might 
economically be purfued, as it would furely anfwer to 
deltroy a part of the dileafed grain, which if left to itleif 
would be good for but little, to fare the remainder. 
Thofe crops which were ftrong and thick, fullered, in 
general, confiderably more than thofe which were thin¬ 
ner. That the caufe exilts in the atmofphere, as he has 
already faid. He has no doubt, and he thinks we may 
fairly conclude, its being of that kind which is termed 
phlogijiicated; that, particularly in the fummer, it is lb 
loaded with the putrid effluvia of animal and vegetable 
fubftances, as to be incapable of attaining the height ne- 
ceflary to undergo the chemical procels of purification 
by the aCtion of the vitriolic, nitric, and muriatic, parti¬ 
cles, with which the air of the higher regions is charged ; 
and that, therefore, it defcends in that undepurated and 
unwholefome fluid which we term mildew. It has been ' 
lately alferted very ftrongly, that the barberry-tree is de- 
ftruftive to the vegetation of wheat, and produces blight 
or mildew. (See Gent. Mag. for Dec. 1815. p. 515.) 
But the writers in the work we are quoting declare that 
the vicinity of this tree has no etieft whatever, good or 
bad. 
The ftatements of Mr. Lumbert on this fubjeft are, 
1. That a huge crop may be confidered a caufe of mildew ; 
for an unkind feafon, or want of ffamina in the land, may 
check the vegetable mucilage before the corn is com¬ 
pletely filled, and thereby produce a predifpofition to 
mildew. 2. That the firft caufe of mildew is a prediipo- 
fition in the wheat. This, predifpofition is created by a 
decreafe of mucilage in the Straw, which allows the watery 
particles to infatuate themfelves, and ftiil further check 
the circulation of the juices in the Item that are necefiary 
to the perfection of the grain, and had before become 
languid from the unkindnels of the feafon, or the feeble- 
nefs of the foil. When the watery particles have infi- 
nuated themfelves, the draw becomes difcoloured, and he 
has no doubt but a complete putrefaction would imme¬ 
diately luscceed it, if it were not prevented by a circula¬ 
tion of air. 3. He has obferved, that an over-luxuriant 
growth 'in the fpring is favourable to the mildew ; and has 
noticed that that luxuriance may be produced by particu¬ 
lar manure, fuch as green vetches ploughed in, Sec. 
which feem to caufe a confiderable fermentation in the 
foil, and produce a rapid vegetation for a iiiort time. 4. 
That early cutting and laying-down is moll clearly bene¬ 
ficial; and, if the wheat is fevereiy affcCted, it is almolt 
impoliible to cut it too loon. 
After fome remarks on the nature of the difeafe, Mr. 
Marffiall lavs, that a certain prevention of it would be a 
difeovery worth millions to the country. “ Until this he 
made, let the grower of wheat not only endeavour tpfow 
early, hut let him look narrowly to his crop during the 
critical time of the filling of the grain; and, whenever 
he may perceive it to be iinitten with the difeafe, let him 
Iofe no time in cutting it; fuffering it to lie on the Hub¬ 
ble,- until the ilraw he firm and crifp enough to be fet in 
lheaves, without adhering in the binding-places; allow¬ 
ing it to remain in the field, until the grain (hail have re¬ 
ceived the nutriment which the ffraw may he able to im¬ 
part. Where wheat has been grown on kunmas-land, 
and the ground obliged to he cleared by the firft of Au- 
gull, crops have been known to he cut as green as'gral’s, 
and to he carried off and fpread upon grafs-land to drv. 
Yet the grain has been found to mature; and always to 
afford a fine-fkinned beautiful fample. Rye-grafs, that is 
cut even while in bloffom, is well known to mature its 
feeds, with the fap that is lodged in the Items. Hence 
there is nothing to fear fromxutting wheat or corn be¬ 
fore the ffraw he ripe.” The opinion of Mr. Young is 
likewife the fame; he therefore adviles the farmer to be 
very attentive to his wheat-crops in July, as “ they are 
every-where liable to this fatal diftemper, which admits 
hut of one cure or check, and that is, reaping it as foon 
as it is ftruck. The capital managers in Suffolk know 
well, that every hour the wheat Hands after the mildew 
appears, is mifehievous to the crop. It fhould be cut, 
though quite green, as it is found that the grain fills after 
it is cut, and ripens in a manner that thofe would not 
conceive who had not tried the experiment, which he has 
done many times; reaping fo early, that the labourers 
pronounced he would have nothing hut hens’-meat. 
They were always miftaken, for the fample proved good, 
while others, who left it longer, fullered fevereiy. The 
faft is now pretty generally admitted.” 
It is further ftated by the firlt of thefe writers, “ that 
the operation of this difeafe is carried on by the fungus 
tribe, evidently appears, from the ingenious and perfe- 
vering labours of botanifts ; hut fungi, it is equally evi¬ 
dent, are ait effedt, not the caufe, of the difeafe. They 
are the vermin of the more perfect vegetables ; and fallen 
on them, whether in a dead or in a dileafed ftate, but 
feldom while they are in full health and vigour. Tlifir 
minute and volatile feeds may be faid to he every-where 
prefent, ready to produce their kind wherever they may 
find a genial matrix. Such, at lealt, appears to he the? 
nature of the fungus, or fungi, of wheat; for it may be 
liable to the attack of more than one lpecies.” Mr. T. A, 
Knight oblerves, “ If a branch of a tree infedted with 
this difeafe, he ftruck by the hand in calm dry weather, a 
quantity of white powder will be found to fly from it; 
and, if this be received on a plate of talc, or of glafs, and 
examined by the microfcope, it will he found to confift 
oi very numerous oval bodies, evidently organized. 
There is another plant fimilar to this in every thing hut 
colour (being of a tawney brown), which is not unfre- 
quentiy found on the leaves of young apple-trees. Both 
thefe plants appear to me to be evidently lpecies of 
Mucor; and the red and white mould on hops, and the 
black lpots on ftalks of wheat, and many other difeafes of 
plants, will. I think, be found to arile from the attacks of 
minute plants of this genus, which appears to me to pol¬ 
len's qualities fomewhat fimilar to the digeftive powers of 
animals.” Tran!’. Soc. Arts, vol. xix. See Mucor. 
It is noticed by Mr. Forlyth, that, “contrary to the 
common opinion, trees are more liable to mildew on fouth 
and welt - walls, than on an eaft wailand that Lie has 
frequently removed fuch trees from a fouth or weft wall 
to a north or call wall, where they have very often reco¬ 
vered. It is advifed, whenever danger is apprehended, to 
walh or fprinkle the trees well with urine and lime-water 
mixed ; and, when the young and tender lhoots are much 
iiife£ted, to wash them well with’a woollen cloth dipped 
3 ia 
