on the Nature of the Ergot of Grasses. 189 



The specimens, when arrived at the same state of forwardness as the first, 

 were planted in October on the same estate, but not within half a mile of the 

 former spot ; and twelve healthy grains of each kind, with every care taken to 

 prevent them from having any sporidia attached to them, were planted in the 

 same locality. 



From the extreme quantity of rain during last winter, very few of the grains 

 either of the infected or of the uninfected kinds arrived at maturity ; so that 

 in August last there were growing only two of rye, two of wheat and one of 

 barley of the infected, and one of each kind of the uninfected. 



On each rye plant exposed to the sporidia an ergot was discovered, and, as 

 before, the almost entire absence of unhealthy grains in the ears of the wheat 

 and barley, which bore perfect and apparently healthy fruit as if nothing had 

 interfered with their usual growth. 



Of the uninfected grains planted at the same spot and period, only three 

 plants arrived at maturity, but these presented no unhealthy appearance. 



On reflecting on these results, it may appear that something is yet wanting 

 to clear the subject of the obscurity that has hitherto enveloped it. I grant 

 that if ergots had appeared in the wheat and barley, nothing apparently would 

 have been wanting to convince the most sceptical of the true cause of this pro- 

 duction ; but if it be evident, or even probable, that any of the ergots of the 

 two seasons were produced in the rye by infecting the grain with the fungus 

 whilst germinating, it seems to me that one solitary instance would be as con- 

 clusive as if a multitude of species were diseased and each bearing many spe- 

 cimens. 



If we consider what the grass is that becomes the most frequently affected 

 with ergot, it is undoubtedly rye ; and it is not too much to suppose that there 

 may be something in the constitution or structure of this plant that makes it 

 more susceptible of the infection than other grasses, or it may not be impos- 

 sible that other grasses may be infected by a different proceeding : for instance, 

 the sporidia of the fungus may be required to be introduced through the sto- 

 mata, of which their diminutive size would admit, or they may enter through 

 any accidental aperture in the cuticle. 



The fact of ergots being produced on all the infected plants of rye during 

 two sets of experiments, renders it highly improbable that accident should 



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