Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/109

89&#93; SMU fldcstic life : as, however, the fumes ascending from the oil, especially if it be tainted or rancid, are highly pernicious, when inhaled into the lungs of asthmatic or other persons Jiable to complaints of the chest, we shall communicate the follow- ing simple expedient : Let a sponge, three or four inches in diameter, be moistened with pure water, and in that state be susjiended by a string or wire exadly over the flarae of the lamp, at the distaace of a few inches : this substance will absorb all the smoke emitted during the evening, or night ; when it should be rinsed in warm water, and thus again rendered fit for use. SMUT, a disease aft'edting al- most every species of corn, the grains of which become filled with a fetid black powder, instead of containing farinaceous matter. Having already stated (vol. i. pp. lyoyi, and vol. ii. pp. 65- 66), the result of several experi- ments, made with a view to pre- vent this pernicious distemper, we shall now communicate such me- thods, as are maintaiiied to have proved efficacious ; thus rendering our accounts as perfe6t as the na- ture of this work will admit. In the 6th vol. of Annals of Agriculture, Mr. Andrews re- commends the following steef), as being preferable to any other ; hav- ing successfully employed it for several years : — Let half a hogshead of strong ley be made, by passing ■water re.peatedly through wood- ashes ; and be put into a copper with half a pound of arsenic. This mixture is next to boil for about five minutes, when the poisonous properties of the arsenic will be so diminished, that birds or fowls may pick up the uncovered grain, after it has been sown^ without receiv- SNA [89 ing any injury. The ley should now be poured into a deep vessel, and be suft'ered to stand till it be-, come cold ; when a strong wicker- basket, sufficiently capacious to hold two bushels, is to be set in the liquor, with half a bushel of wheat; wiiich ought to be rcpeatedlv stir- red j the light grains, and dusty particles that may rise to the sur- face, being carefully removed. The grain is next to be drained, and laid on a brick or clay floor : a sufficient portion of lime ahould be strewed upon it, in order to jire- pare it for sowing. — This quantity of ley,' Mr. Andrews observes, is sufficient for steeping 50 busljclii. of wheat ; and he farther remarks, that only a quarter of a peck of- lirae will be required for drying four bushels, provided it be mixed the night before it is used. The vitriolic acid, or oil of vi- triol, has lately been employed with success, by an enlightened agricul- turist, J. S. Jennings, Esq. as sk. preventive of smut. 'I'he proportionsi employed for this purpose, were, one gallon of the acid to thirty of water ; which form a proper mix- ture for inmiersing wheat. His experiments are of the greatest importance ; and we trust that future trials will fully ascertain the efficacy of this process. SNAIL, or Helix, L. a genus of testaceous inserts, comprising sixty species, of which the following aie the most remarkable, viz. 1. The hortcnsis, or Commor» Garden Snail, abounds inthisCoim- try. It is covered with a brown shell, and furnished with two horns, containing its organs of sight, which it protrudes, and draws in, at plea- sure. This insert is remarkable for the viscous traces which it leavea. behind in its covuse. ^. The