The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1875-12-09
sAIUTIN WHEAT.
Reply to the New York suns
Criticism.

Editor RuGL Sun:-We regret that
a few kindly words Of encouragement
should have brought upon you the
reflections of the New York Sun in
its severe handling of oar smut
theory, as published in the Rural
Sun a few weeks ago We confess
ourselves severely scorched by that
great luminary, and all, almost en-
tirely consumed.
Notwithstanding our efforts to
bridge over the bloody chasm, and
that our country opinions, in them
selves, are unworthy of its notice, it
riots in our rustic simplicity and at
tacks our speck Of a theory, with
such microscopic fury, that we are
prepared to hear it deny that chan
ges of the moon cause changes of
the weather, or that the bottom rail
Of a fence laid in the dark of the
moon, will rot sooner than one if
laid in the light of the same, truths
established by the observations of,
perhaps, a thousand years. We
claimed for our views only an APP
proach TO the true theory, and as
calculated to excite enquiry, and di-
rect investigation amongst our far
mers. 1t was the result of some
observations during last season, and
of little grange pleasantly, and it
was expected to provoke criticism;
and whilst that of the New York
Sun was, perhaps, just and proper,
its personal reflections were undig-
nified and uEcivil It's merriment
over our inadvcrtant use of the pro-
noun ''he" instead Of"it," and its re-
marks with regard to the sex Of
LarU9, about which we said nothing,
were in striking contrast to the ac-
knOwledged luminosity of that bril-
liant orb.
We are aware that we have been
investigating a joint worm. We
found it in every smut stem we ex-
amined, and an extended search
failed TO show its presence in any
others. We cut number of the in
iured stems and envelOped them IN
canvass, aud after few days, we
found the bugs and a very few small
flies, and as the bugs were much
more numerous, we innOcentiy $50
ciated them with the smut Like the
scientist of whom the New York
Sun speaks, we supplied the cOnnec-
ting links from our Imagination
We ascribed the phenomenon in our
objectionable verdancy, TO defective
nutrition from the ravages Of an an
imal parasite. That is the extent of
our offending. Scientists ascribe
it to perverted nutrition from the
effects of a vegetable parasite. Wise
men have differed in all ages.
In the coming crop, we are pre-
pairing to institute such observations
as will throw further light on the
subject, not to establish an animal
or fungus theory, but to elicit truth,
and to learn more of the nature and
requirements of this important Ger
cal, which is beginning to receive
from our farmers, the attention
which its Importance deserves. We
would be thankful to the New York
Sun fer any light il may throw on
the subject, which, we think, is Il
more legitimate object for the great
rehector's rays than our ignorance,
We would begiad to sit at the feet
of a second Gamaliel and take less
ons IL scientific research, and be
even scorched a little for our obtu-
seness, but VIC do protest against
the Observation-Disclosures of imputing to
Us insanity, because our conclusion,
drawn, perhaps, from insufficient
premises, are not in accordance with
those entertained by scientists.
L. TUNER,
L. B. HARwELL
Nov 1Eth 1SIS