Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-11-25
From a late Engiish Paper.
THE SMUT In WHEAT.

| AS this subject is now engaging the far
mers' attention, I'VE lay before our readers the
following report of one of the PROVING ial far
mers' clubs:
"As means for the prevention Of smut, the
use OF alkaline and other sleeps was fully dis.
! cussed, and we subjoin the following state.
ment of various plans, and their results, as
| submitted by some of the members The
plan recommended by the member who in
troduced the subject, was to dip the wheat in
solution of blue vitriol, in the proportion of
one pound to pail ofwater, which was sufli-
cient for a coomb of wheat. This method he
had found sure preventive of smut. His
father had formerly used various sleeps, as
salt water, lime, &c; but till using the above
mentioned solution his wheat had never been
free from bladders. The use of arsenic was
also strongly advocated, and it was argued in
favor OF this practice, if used dry Gin which
state experience had shown it to be equally
eifitacious) much time and trouble i'm prepa-
ration were saved. The method recommend
ed is to mix lime and water in dipping tub
to the consistency of wiitewash; din the
SEED and 80: about well Tor Inc space offour
or five minutes, III order that the light kernels,
cobs, &c. may float; these should be skimm-
ed of, and the seed after draining for minute
arsenic over the wheat in the proportion of a
quarter of pound of arsenic to four bushels
of seed; turn and mix the wheat well. and if
not used till after twelve hours, the heap
should be broken downand stirred about
"Ihere are two species ofsmut, and a dis
ease nearly allied to it, called pepper kernel
and ear-cockle. Bladder smut and ear-cockle
are to be found occasionally with sound kerr
nels, and both are prevented from injecting
the seed by the same process. The dust
brand or smut is of different nature, and
no means OF destroying it have been found,
but the disease is harmless compared with
bladder-brand and ear-cockle. The nature
OF the disease having been investigated by sci
entlhc men, 1t has now been ascertaned that
smutty seed produces smut; that the
infection is caused by the dust of smut balls,
and that the various steeps--dipping in boil |
ing water, kiln-dry, &c.-by destroying the |
vitality of smut, will prevent the disease. 1t |
was likewise stated, that the opinion that O.
YER year wheat will not produce smut was fall
lacious, the crops of a whole district having |
beer infected from using old smutty seed, |
tempted by its low price. Several other meth |
DDS OF using arsenic in solution had been tried |
with success, and a member mentioned a stri- |
king instance of the efficacy of soap makers
t" dress al his seed, part Of tie hea,dand
was planted with undressed seed, and on this
spot three fourths of the crop was bladdercd, |
while on the remainder scarcely an injured ear
was to be found"
correspondent says :-1As our winter |
wheat is rarely smutty to any extent, we have |
never prepared that seed by brining and lin
ing. But our spring wheat having formerly
been more or less slnutty, we now prepare |
our seed in the following manner-Afier put
ting our seed into water, to separate the light !
kernels and oats, if there should be any a. |
mongst it, we put it into tub, and pour
strong brine. about blood warm, on to it till it |
is completely covered.-After it has STEPPED
three or four hours, we take it out in baskets,
in which we let ii stand until it is sufficiently
drained, then we spread it on barn floor, and
rake in fresh Stacked lime until the wheat be-
comes dry, when it is fit for sowing. The |
past two seasons, we have prepared our seed
wheat in this way, and rot kernel of smut
has been found in the crops raised from it {;
while our neighbors who neglect this prepare
ton, are generally troubled with smut
GYPSUM AND PoTAToEs.-Manya are doubt
less ignorant of the value of gypsum as a
manure for potatoes. A small plat of ground
was planted with potatoes during the present
year by Mr.. Thomas Boughey of Newport,
Shropshire. The sets previous to being de-
posted in the ground were dripped in the
powdered UyDsum a small uuautiiv oc which