284 A COMPENDIUM OF 
palez and glumes. The plant, more frequently 
the fruit, is subject to a disease, which is the 
ustilago or corn smut—a fungus growth which 
occurs in irregular globular masses, covered by 
a very dark, almost black, gelatinous mem- 
brane, inclosing thousands of black globular 
spores, the odor and taste of which are peculiar 
and disagreeable. The corn smut is a compara- 
tively new remedy, and contains about 2 per 
cent of fixed ozl, secaline (also found in the er- 
got), a crystalline principle, mucilage, acid, 
fixed oil, resin, sugar, albuminoids and ash. 
This fungoid growth developed by the Puccinia 
graminis has emmenagogue properties, and is 
given in form of a fluid extract, which is the 
favorite way of administering it, although the 
ustilago is given in substance in doses of 1 5 to 
30 grains (1 or 2 grams). The fruit of the Zea 
Mays is familiar to everyone, and forms one of 
the staple products of this country. The zea 
is of Greek origin and means /o five, and maize 
is a word of American etymology. 
_ Secale, Cereale, Rye.—Natural order Gram- 
Inacez, Native of the Eastern countries, and 
now cultivated in many parts of the world. 
Rye is to Russia what corn is to America, and 
comes nearer to bread-making qualities of the 
wheat than any other grain. The culm attains 
a greater height than wheat, and glabrous ex- 
cept pear the spike. The leaves are smooth 
beneath and rough on their upper surfaces, 
from 6 to 18 inches long, and linear-lanceolate 
in shape. Spike 4 to 6 inches long, two-sided 
and flattened; spikelets, as a rule, two-flowered, 
with an awn-like rudiment of a third flower ; 
