The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-12-19
The Express Job once
FARMERS DEPARTMENT.
Blight, Rust, Smut, and NIildcsv,

, injuries to growing crops occasioned,
The BHght generally known by the name Of
Rust, attacks the leaves or stems both of herba-
ceous and woody plants, such as the barberry
and buckthorn 1t has indeed been supposed to
be transmitted from barbcrry bushes to grain
grain growing in their vicinity. When fully de-
vcloped, this blight generally assumes the ap-
rearance of a rusty looking powder, which soils
the fingers on being touched. Although the
naked eye discover the surface of blight
ed wheat and other straw nothing but d;scolo-
ration, subjected to the microscope, their sur
face is observed to be covered with an orgoniz.
ed growth offungous plants, regularly and beau.
tifully disposed. Those who may be curious to
see delincations of this plant, shown by the
microscope, will find themin one of the plates
of the Farmers Encyclopedia. At page lily
of this excellent work, which ought to be in the
hands of every farmer that desires to be posted
up, the parasitic plants constituting rust on,
wheat, shown magnifed in every stage of
their growth, from the almost invisible seed thro'
the different stages OF growth and development
to maturity and perfection of the fungi, and
Under the head of Mldcec, in the work referred
to, great deal Of highly valuable information
may be obtained, relating to blight, rust, and mil
dew, and the best remedies against them
In the disease Of grain usually called smut,
the farina or flour of the kernels, together with
the coverings, converted into black SCOT
like powder, which, when the cars are struck,
flies like cloud Of black smoke Ifa portion
of this black powder be wetted and put under
microscope it will be found to consist ofnillions
Of minute ard transparent globules, which seem
composed of q clear and glary fluid, surround
ed by thin and skinny membrane This dis
ease does not affect the whole body of the crop,
but the smuttcd ears arc sometimes very hume
rous. 49,
f The origin of this disease is attributed by
some to the soil in which the grain is grown,
whilst by others it is ascribed to the seed. This
last view seems sustained by the success which
has attended the sleeping of the seed before
ing, as a preventive. A weak solution of arscn-
ic is much employed in England for this pur-
pose. A strong solution of common salt in wa
ter is much relied upon for the same purpose, in
some parts of the United States This last
means, ifas ct!ectual as it is reported to be, is
much to be preferred on the score of safety, ar
senic being at all times dangerous article to
deal with. Last year we had curious accounts
of the death of cartridges and phcasants, in ex-
tensive neighborhoods in England, covcys of
which would be found dead, lowered together,
and always in standing position, as though still
alive The of this was for some time
mystery until the contents of the craws were
subjected to chemical tests, and showed the pre-
scnce of arsenic. The birds had eaten the seed
grain stepped in solution of arsenic, and thus
fallen victims to its poisonous effects. .
.Mldc,r on grain or other plants is thin and
whtish coating upon the leaves, which, when
abundant, occasions their decay and death
When it affects growing wheat, it appears as
glutinous oxidation, particularly when the days
arc hot and the nights without dew 1t is assert
ed to be minute fungus, of which different
species attack different plants. Sulphur has
been found specific cure. Manuring grain
crops with SCOT has also been recommended as
remedy against mildew. Others have d;spu-
ted this asserting that as SCOT renders the crops
more uxriant, it led to their being attacked, the
richest portions of fields being always most la
bic to mldew. As it is least common on airy
situations, thinning and ventilation may be re-
garded as preventives
! Grlescnthwaite, in the New Theory of Agri-
culture, throws out the conjecture, that in many
cases in which the blight and mldew attack
grain crops, it may be for want of the peculiar
food requisite for perfecting the grain; it being
known that the fruit or seeds of many plants
contain primitive principles not found in the rest
of the plant Thus the grain Of wheat contains
!, gluten and phosphate of lime, and where these
4 are wanting Ia the soil, that is, in the manfred
earths in the plant grows twill be una
; bic to perfectits fruit which Of consequence be-
comes liable 70 disease. II American Courier
$. TURKISH MErHoD or TREATING HoKsEs.-
The late Commodore Porter, when envoy OF the
t United states at Constan6nople, had horse
cured Of founder by Turkish farrier in the fol-
{ lowing manner: aThc Turk said the horse must
, he bled in the inside of his diseased leg. lie
2 nut nipper on his nose to keep him steady
then took up the left leg and crossing it over the
fright, gave II 70 al atte'iuuii'' ~ -. 80
his lancet into the vein, little above the fetiock
/ Joint, and took from it about three and half
+ hounds Of blood. The vein bled freely. He
: now said he had taken enough; he then went to
the very opposite side Of the leg, and striking
his lancet into vein above the knee-joint, sim
gle drop Of blood exuded, and both that and the
!. first opened vein instantly ceased bleeding .
/ There may be novelty in this, but Uncertainty
! astonished me to find that opening two veins n
!. the same limb, stopped both from bleeding; Anch
however, is the fact, for ! witnesscdit Ills de-
sired that the horse should rest the next day
that he should then be rode with great violence
until he was IN profuse perspiraticn- The Dir
cased limb then ID be rubbed with wet salt-(t0
which i added 4 pint Of hot brandy hen rub.
u bed dry, and then walked about until cool, md
/, Icoyered with blankets; ne same process g he
4 repeated next day~ which va done, md ~
fEnrn that Hme ~ hofIe