The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1847-09-02
Prom lie Farmer CABINET.
Cause and FIeventiycs Of the Rust In
....-s5. Wheat.

49,. ~. sa. wheat.
Biz. EnIToR:-fhe rust IN wheat is the
.prassnee of fungi. which may be seen. by
Illa aid vi 4 good microscope. The cause
oI ihese lungi, is ihe presence of free ear
h0asc acid and ammonia in the wheat
plant, ~ greater quantity Than elm be as
simulated By Il. About the latter part Of
June. aud from that time onward I'LL No
vsmher, earbunir acid aud ammonia are
generated very lasi. by the decay Of an
imal and vegetable matter. Wafer poss-
essts The power Of absorbing immeuse
quantities Of these gasses. | have not
any work by me al prcsent-heIng away
from h0me-lU see tie exact amount. b..i
| think IL il stated that one single gallon
Of wa:er will cnndcnse aud absorb upwards
of sight hundred gallons &C ammonia. In
the summer, after drought Of some COLI
siderable length, the rain Of small show
er. or the rain of the first part Of heavy
shower, is highly charged with these gas
es--and the heavy dews, too, are often
very highly charged with them. The
wafer nf slight shower, or of heavy
dew, alter a short drought, coming in con-
tact with The stalks Of wheat, is absorbed
by them. and the rarbonic acid and ammonia
become mixed with The juices Of the pant.
These gases, coming as they do, in great
er quantity than can be assimIlaied by
the plaut, and the surplus, il great, so
weakening the energies Of the plant as 10
deprive il of the power OF expelling them,
remain in the pores or other wide cells
and vessels. Now, ii the seeds Of the
kinds OF fungi that iniesi wheat are pres.
emf The extra carbonic acid and ammonia
furnish their proper lood, and they imme-
dialely gerninate and soon grow 10 full
maturity, bursting and splitting the stalk of
the sickly wheat in order 10 &c, room for
their Development thus disorganizing the
tissue the wheat stalk. stopping iis pores,
forward in il, thereby killing The plant.
Now Tor The remedy. To proven, this
carbonic acid and ammonia from lnJur'ng
the plant, il is neccssaiy that The carbon'c
acid should be nrulraized, and the ammo
MIA prevented from getting in contact with
The wheat stalk in such great quantities.
and. also, the stalk should be strengthened
as much us possible against such attacks.
I here are many substances that may be
made use OF to attain these desirable OBJ
i,cts. Iwsl mention few, and The meth
oil of applying them. Pulyerlze char
coal of any kind until it is reduced 10 the
size of marbles and less, then take stone
lime and reduce i, 10 powder by stacking
i, with water NIX equal portions Of 1t an(
ground charcoal intimately together, ant
apply the mixture Immediately al the rat'
of len bushels 10 the acre. II would b'
well 10 pui more than the usual quaint,
on those places where the wheat look
; very mxuriant, aud less than The usua
quantity where the wheat is poor and slen
der. Or, take four bushels OF good hIci
ory ashes, or i've bushels of good OAK asl
es, or more than five bushels oil weake
ashes, 10 five bushels Of ground charcoa
ia The acre. The ashes aud lime Will nc
only benefit The wheat crop, even II 1t
!. moi exposed TO the rust, but also the sue
' ceedins crop-whi!e the charcoal will d
: good as long as the ground is cultivate
F., and i, remains there, as 1t never decay
s. and is always useful. 1t is the most va
!, uable fertilizer that we have, and is woIl
e more than its weigh, in gold. could CIV
YOU many instances Of its wonderful ma.
=, astonishing-powe.s, but my limits he
- will no, allow me. One bushrl OF salt
any kind-say salt from the beef, pork
! fish barrels, or the rock salt used by gr
o, ziers-reduced 10 powder, and added
n n five bushels of ground charcoal and m'x'
to intimately, applied to an acre, WI DC
all cflicacions, il not washed away by hea
re- rains, as the other preparations.
me The soda of the salt, the potash Of
IN ashes and The lime unite with The carbon
acid, and render it unfit for The use oil
fi,url. and strengthen The wheat plant SO
10 enable il to assimllate the carbonlc a
- and ammonia-whilc the charcoal abso
both the carbonic acid and ammonia, a
prevents the whea, from becoming surf,
, Oh with them. IL holds these gases SUBJ
If If TO The action of The wheat, and II the wh
per- at any future time finds Itself in want
t to carbonic acid and ammonla-lt lis TO
inst be in contact with the charcoal, they
pre- draw that held by it. Thus the charc
''' performs two very important SERVICES
r. hence its great usefulness. 49,,
sv Lime that has been air Stacked, will
- answer in place of that which Is II