138 Mr. E. J. Quekett's further Observations 



were detached in the water by means of a pencil brush, and the body of the 

 ergot was then removed. 



A similar experiment was performed with the same number of grains of the 

 several plants, but the sporidia were in this case obtained from an ergot found 

 on Elijmus sabulosus. 



The growth of the young plants was allowed to proceed for several days, 

 until, by the exhaustion of the albumen, the grains appeared wrinkled ; the 

 leaves having at this period attained the height of three or four inches. In 

 this state the several young plants were packed in wet mould during the third 

 week in March, conveyed into the country, and planted side by side in the gar- 

 den of William Hyder, Esq., of Court Lees, near Canterbury, who had kindly 

 undertaken to watch the progress of the experiment. 



The greater number of the plants failed in their growth, so that, when the 

 harvest had arrived, there only remained four of rye (one grown with the fun- 

 gus of the ergot oi Elymus and three with the sporidia derived from the ergot 

 of wheat), three plants of barley and four of wheat. 



The ears on the rye were remarkable, scarcely one having a healthy corn, 

 the palese being generally quite empty ; yet there were nine ears containing 

 ergots, some having a single specimen, others as many as six. In the barley 

 the ears were full of healthy grains, with one exception where there appeared 

 to be a diseased grain ; and in the wheat the ears were full and without dis- 



ease 



* 



Considering that these results were not altogether satisfactory, from the 

 fact that grains of the same sample had not been sown and allowed to ger- 

 minate without coming in contact with the sporidia diffused in water (for if 

 ergots could not be detected on these, but frequently on the others, it seemed 

 that the question would be set at rest), another experiment was instituted in 

 the following autumn after this manner : — 



Twelve grains of rye, of wheat, and of barley, were again selected and made 

 to germinate as before described ; and the sporidia from the exterior of one of 

 the ergots of rye, produced in the previous year, were diffused in the water. 



* Whilst the ergots were making their appearance, I had the opportunity of confirming Philippar's 

 assertion of their very rapid growth, and also of satisfying myself that the fluid found on these bodies 

 had an internal origin. 



