8Q MICROSCOPIC FUNGI. 



remarks inspired no sucli alarm in the districts of 

 our experience, but in some seasons and localities 

 it is certainly one of the ^'' pests of the farm.'" 

 Under the diflferent appellations of " bunt/^ '^ pepper 

 brand,^^ " bladder brand/^ and sometimes ^' smut/* 

 this infection is very generally known. Externally 

 there is no appearance, except to the practised eye^ 

 that anything is wrong. There is no black impal- 

 pable dust about the ears as in the true " smut/'' 

 no red withered leaves or spotted stem as in the 

 "rust^^ and " mildew,'^ and no stunted growth or 

 malformation, evident to the casual glance, by which 

 the insidious foe can be recognized; but stealthily 

 and secretly the work is accomplished, and until 

 the ^^ bunted ^^ grains make their appearance in the 

 sample, the disease may, perchance, be unchal- 

 lenged. 



Externally the ^' bunted '^ grain is plumper, and 

 whilst the corn is still green thesewill be of a brighter 

 green than the rest (plate V. fig. 84) . When broken, 

 the farinaceous interior will be found replaced by a 

 minute black dust of a very foetid, unpleasant odour, 

 and greasy to the touch (fig. 85). This powder 

 constitutes the spores of the ^' bunt^^ mixed with 

 myceloid threads. It may happen that much of 

 the corn in a field is " bunted,^^ and the discovery 

 not made till the wheat is being ground for flour ; 

 then the odour and colour will speedily decide the 

 produce to be unfit for human food. We have not 

 the least doubt that " bunted ^^ corn, when ground 



