Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-11-13
ros a late Eng tisA Paper.
THE - AaUVsts ~ NsE9nNs Am

As this subject Is now engaging the farmers at
'enuon, we lay before our readers the following re
port OF one Of the provincal farmers clubs:
As means fot the prevention Of smut, the use
o. alkaline and other sleeps WAS fully discussed,
ana we subioln the following statement OF VARIOUS
plans, and their results, submitted by some OF the
| members;- plan recommended by the member
who introduced the subject, was TO DIP the wheat
IN solution Of hlue vtToi IN the proportion Of one
pound TO pail of water, which Was sufficient for n
eoomb OF wheat. This meihoI he had found
sure preventive OF smut. Ills father had formerly
used various sleeps, ms salt water, lime, Sc; but
TIL using the above mentioned solution his wheat
had never been free from bladdeis. The use of
arsenic was also strongly advocated. and il was
argued IN favor OF this practice, II used dry I'm
which state experience had shown il to be equally
ehcac'ousl much time and trouble in preparation
were saved. The method recommended is TO mir
lime and water In dipping tub To the consistence
OF whitewash; dip the seed and stir about well
for the space oi four five minutes, in order that
the light kernels, cobs, Sc may float; these should
be skinned of, and the seed after draining for n
minute or two, be turned out on the floor then dus,
arsenic over the wheat IN the proportion OF a quar-
ter OF pound of arsenic to four bushels of seed.
turn aud mix the wheat well, and II not used ali
alter twelve hours, the heap should be broken down
and stirred about.
There are Two species of smut and disease near.
~ allied to It, called pepper kerne and ear cookie
Bladder smut and ear-cockle are to he found occa
sionslly with sound kernels, and both are preyen-
tod IRON injecting the seed 10y the same process
The dust brand or smut is OF different nature AMI
no means of destroying II have been found but IN.
disease IS harmless compared with bladder brand
and ear. cookie. The nature of the disens. having
been investigated by scientific men, IL has now been
aseertained that smutty seed produces smut; that
the infection Is caused by the dust OF smut balls
and that the various steeps-dppng in boiling wa
ter, kiln dry, kc-by destroying the vitality of
smut, will prevent the disease. II was likewise
stated, that the opinion that over year wheat will
not produce smut was fallacious, the crops OF a
~hoie district having been infected from using old
smutty seed, tempted by its low price. Several
other methods OF using arsenic in solution had b.en
tried with success, and a member mentioned N
striking instance of the efficacy Of so,p m,ksr,s
ices on the OCCASION not having sufficient to dress
all ms seed part oi the heSdland was planted with
undreSsed seed, and this spot three fourths of the
crop was bladdered, while on the remainder scarce
ly an injured car was to be found"
correspondent says: AS our winter wheat il
rarely smutty TO any extent, we have never pre-. |
pared that seed by brining and LINING. But our |
spring whea; having formerly been more or l.,s |
smuiiy, we now prepare our seed in the following
putting our seed into water to Sc |
paThte the light Kernels and OATS if there should he
any amongst II, we put II into tub and pour STRONG
BRINE, about blood warm on to II tilt 1t is complete.
~ covered.-Aer II has stepped three or four hour,
we take II out IN baskets IN which let It stand
lntl u Ssuihcienuy drained then we spread ~ ON "A |
barn floor, and rake ia fresh Stacked lime until the |
wheat becomes dry, when 1t is fit for sowing The |
past two seasons, We have prepared our seed wheat
IN this way, anu not a kernel Of must has been |
found IN the crops raised from a. while our neigh
oors who neglect this preparation, are generally |
troubled with smut.
GYPSUM AND PorAroEs-Many are doubtless
ignorant of the value OF gypsum as . MANURE for
potatoes. A small pot of ground was planted with
potatoes during the present year by MIR Thomas |
boughey OF Newport, Shropshire. The sets pre-. |
v'ouS TO beng deposited IN the ground were dipped !
IN the powdered gypsum, sinai qu,utity of which
was also snwn upon them afterwards as a top |
iIcSslns' lie effect has 6cen aston shing. Many !
OF the tops grew to the night OF feet and the roots
proved equally prolific. At the roo. OF one which |
he dug up aicw days ago, TO look at The result of
his experiment, he found nire potatoes, some of |
which had attained prodgious SIZE, though not at
present come to ;hai. full growth. One weighed !
almost two pounds, and tw" others more than Il !
pound each. |: /, worthy OF remark, that the |
ground upon which they were planted has not been
MANFRED Tor five years, the last occupant fndns the
sou so barren as to be .ce,y worth cultivation, !
tie sowed some also upon hrs beans, peas and tur-
nIps, and found It 10 act upon them m A similar |
manner, producing most luXuIiaH. crops of each.-
r. 81.