The Enquirer

LITERARY SELECTIONS,

FOR THE UNITED STATES' GAZETTE.

From the Philosophical Magazine.

Experiments to ascertain the value of different steeps in curing the smut in wheat, and promoting its growth. By Mr. B. Bevan.

The following table exhibits the results in a set of experiments made principally with a view to ascertain the value of different steeps in curing the smut in wheat, and promoting its growth; with twelve samples of good wheat A, and twelve samples of very smutty B; each sort steeped in twelve different solutions of substances most easily to be procured.

[Solutions steeped 24 hours.]

The wheat was sown in rows in Lighton field, Bedfordshire, on a sandy soil mixed with little or no calcareous matter, and is but indifferent land for bearing wheat.

Neither of the samples that were steeped in solution of nitric acid came up, except one or two single corns; and which, whether by having more room, or receiving but a less degree of stimulus, grew extremely luxurious. The same steeps were tried with barley, and found the same effect from the nitric acid, as not a single one came up.

	A.	B.	A.	B.	A.	B.
1.357	5.51	1	81	21.6	13.6	36.6
1.097	3.51	3	218	20.2	10.1	36.0
1.080	3.51	7	115	23.8	14.3	36.9
1.056	9.51	9	159	20.2	11.7	35.6
1.089	3.51	0	290	24.0	14.5	41.5
1.047	3.51	2	241	21.6	12.3	38.5
1.026	3.51	11	150	19.8	17.6	35.4
1.025	3.51	0	129	20.8	11.4	34.8
1.003	3.51	0	2	21.9	12.4	38.7
1.016	3.51	none	grew	......	......	......
1.011	3.51	0	136	20.7	16.1	35.7
1.050	3.51	0	0	20.4	17.8	35.4
	3.51	6	323	20.3	14.7	35.7
	3.51	none / qwn	107	......	18.3	......