The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-09-04
farmers Department.
From the american Farmer.]
NUT AND IT'S PREVENTIVES.

SMUT AND IT'S PREVENTlVES.
As we had several letters detailed in
stances of great mi jury to the wheat crop
from SMUT, and as numerous inquiries,
from different quarters, have been made
of US in regard to preventives, we copy
the following from Sir John Sinclar's
Code Of agriculture:
"ON THE NATURE OF THE DISEASE CALL
ED "rnE SMUT" IN WHEAT, AND THE
MEANS OF PREVENTING IT."
This disease in French is called sic
Carie," and in botanical language, "Us-
aago." 1t is species of degeneracy
of the grains in the ears of wheat, by
which the substance which should form
-four in the grain, becomes entirely
changed into black powder, similar to
a puff ball, or dusty mushroom, (lyco-
yerdon globosom.) Wheat affected with
this disease, when mixed with seed in a
sound state, diminishes its value, inn
parts dark colour to the -four, and is
said by some to possess noxious quail
ties. The disease has great tendency
joining grain, rapidly extending the
mischief No wonder, therefore, that
Its ravages should have commanded the
attention OF husbandmen; in all ages,
and in almost every country. 1t was
formerly so common, that in some
countries it was not unusual, to see
twice or thrice as many smutted ears of
corn wheat as sound ones. Forum
ately the means of preventing it have
long been in the power OF every far
mer; for any operation that completely
frees the seed from smutty powder 0he
source of the nfection), or that destroys
it by acrid, corrosive, or poisonous APP
plications, will have the effect of secur-
ing clean crop, and though crops may
sometimes escape without preparation,
that is no reason why every rational
means should not be adopted, to guard
against such an evil"
GAS safeguard, it is an excellent
practice, before the wheat seed is first
put into any liquid, to run it, gerry gent
IN, through riddle, when not only
the smut balls, but the imperfect grains,
and the seeds of weeds, will float and
may be skinned off at pleasure, which
is not the case when the seed is put
hastily into the brine OF water"
Numerous are the modes by which
smut may be prevented; as
l, BY pure cold water and lime; ..
Bv boiling water and lime; 8. By wa
ter impregnat-d with salt; 4. By urine
pickle; 3. By variety of other pro-
cesses"
81. PURE WATER AND LIME.
So important an operation, as the
preparation of seed wheat, ought not to
be performed in a slovenly manner, if
the object be-, to secure with certainty,
the future crop, from so destructive
disease as smut. 1t may be effected
however, by pure cold water, provided
the seed be washed in several waters,
frequently stirred so as 10 give the light
grains an opportunity of rising, that
they may be skinned off, and repeated
ly changed, until it be perfectly clean.
1t should be dried by quick-Hme, slaked
either with sea- or with boiling water"
so. BOILING WATER AND LIME.
This mixture, when properly applied,
is found to be etfectual. Sometimes
chalk-lime, recently burnt, put into
copper of boiling water, and as soon as
the lime is dissolved, the mixture at this
degree of heat, is poured upon the wheat
previously spread upon a stone floor,
and the wheat ond mixture are immed.
ately we'll turned together with shovels.
Sometimes the wheat, put into COM
mon wicker-basket. is dipped two or
three times in a mixture of hot water
and quick-lime; and sometimes boiling
water aud quick-lime have been sue
cessfully used, after the seed has been
we'll washed and SKINNED.