Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1840-07-14
Agricultural.

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SIR.-As the season is fast anproacbing
when the rust or black blight on wheat
will, in all probability, make its appear
ance in many parts Of the country, would
call the attention of your readers to an ex-
animation OF the cause of the maladv. and
thus enable them to provide remedy for
the tature. in the shape Of prerention. which
IN all cases, but more especially in this,
much more easy than cure
remember, on the fourth day of last
July, seeing large field of wheat on the
borders OF the mlll-race on the Brandy
WINE, near " Wilmington, Delaware, so com,
pletely covered with the rustas 10 be scarce
ly worth the expense of harvesting. but
which was even at that early period, in the
midst OF that operation-it was indeed a
caution, to behold! | understand that this
wheat had been soWn on lined and ma
! nured talIoW, cause alone sufficient in
that situation to account for all the evil
An excellent writer observes, "accord-
ing to our understanding of the principles
which regulate and determine the prepara-
ton and application of the food of plants,
must be our notions of the diseases of
plants, and our ideas Of the best mode or
course of cutlvating them" A wide DIFF
ference undoubtedly exists in the formation.
! functions, and peculiar nature OF animals
and vegetables, but yet they may, in many
respects, be assimiIated, and thus by COM
parIson, the proper treatment Of plants be
simpliGed, and rendered more easy of plan
tatiOn and comprehension. | shall take
leave to state that the observations and ex-
perIence OF many years have convinced
me, that the opinions of the great reformer
of the medical profession, Mr.. Abenheny,
that the most affecting diseases to which
the human species are subjected, are gene
rated IN the stomach, and consequently re-
NEEDED by the stomach, ARE perfectly
just and we'll founded; and | am also con
WINGED that most Of The diseases Of animals
and plants may be accounted for and re-
NEEDED on the same principles. From what
has bee, been sad, t IS clear that vegetables
mails, the quantity and quality Of food must
possess an equal influence. Now, every
man is aware that the quality of the food
he consumes is equally as determined in
its effects as the quantity, and such, no
doubt, is the case with plants, as above OBJ
served; and when an animal is constrained
to live on meagre, impure food, it is in
duccd to consume great quantity, to make
up as much as possible for the deficiency
Of quality, and the consequence is, dis
tention Of the stomach and bowels; and
this is often followed by poverty and cor
ruption Of the fluids, which produce disease
and debility; and the body is wasted by
cruptjons, and become prey to rernain;
and when an animal is glutted with gross
and rich food, a surlcit is the consequence,
and it is subjected to a stagnaton of the
fluids, inhomatIons and cruptions, which
often end in modification and death; and
plants, under the same circumstances, are
subject to the same consequence; and these
observations will be found correctly to APP
ply to and afford clear cXemplilication Of
the rust or black blight in wheat
On this subject, Sir J. Sinclair says, " 1t
appears from an able paper, written by a
distinguished naturalist, Sir Joseph Banks)
that this disease is oCcAsIoNED by the
growth Of minute parastical fungus, or
mushrooms on the leaves, stems, and
gumes, or chaf' Of the living plants; and
! that the roots Of the fungus, intcrccpting
the sap intended by nature, for the nutrl-
ment of the grain, render the grain lean
and shryeled and, in some cases, rob ii
completely Of It's flour; nor is this all, the
straw becomes black and rotten, unfit for
! fodder, or little better than a capM mOrtW-
um, possessing neither strength or sub
stance" And again, "several Of the &C
cidents above numcrated, may contribute
to the production Of rust, but there are two
additional circumstances which likewise
tend to promote it: first having the land in
too rich a state for grain crops, and second
! ", when too frequent REPETITION Of crops
of wheat takes place: and it has been well
observed, that when crops intended to ri
pen their seed, are objects CT culture, there
! is not only wanted degree of vigour and
! luxuriancc in the plants sufficient for the
purpose, but if the fertility Of the soil be
raised to higher pitch than is necessary
or consistent with that object, injurious ra-
Their than beneficial consequences may be
! the result: land may be too itch for grain
crops, and it is better to keep it in well
/ balanced condition or in a medium state Of
productiveness for this purpose, than in too
fertile a state. The greater quantity OF
sap and Juice in vegetables growing on
highly cultivated lands, it is evident, must
necessarily render them more susceptible
of the effects of sudden and extreme chan
ges, and. consequently more liable TO dis
ease: besides. as mushrooms arc produced