on the Nature of the Ergot of Grasses. 1 1 1 



only one spikelet that produced three ergots, and one spikelet with only one 

 ergot. 



" Because, 2nd, in autumn all decaying plants are infected with such fila- 

 mentous fungi and minute sporidia; and Mr. Smith, when he brought to me 

 the first specimen of his ergot, brought me also a specimen of a (lower of 

 Canna indica, in which not only the inside of the anther was infected with 

 this filamentous fungus, but also the individual pollen grains were strongly 

 infected with it." 



On the first head, it may be observed that no doubt, from something inex- 

 plicable at present, the rye is the most, frequently ergotized of the agricultural 

 grains; still Mr. Bauer acknowledges to have found wheat similarly diseased, 

 and others have found barley and oats. 



On the second point, with reference to finding the fungus on other plants 

 and on decaying vegetable matter, without any formation like an ergot, this 

 fact does not appear to me to be opposed to the view which I have taken. It 

 cannot be supposed that all fungi of this character attack one plant exclu- 

 sively, or grow only in one situation. It is often found that fungous parasites 

 do not confine themselves to one particular plant, or organ, but are found to pass 

 through the systems of different plants, and develope themselves on different 

 organs. Thus, on the authority of the Rev. M.J. Berkeley (in SirW. J. Hooker's 

 ' English Flora,' partii. vol. v.) it is stated that Uredo segetum attacks not only 

 wheat, but barley, oats and other grasses ; Puccmia graminis attacks the lea 

 and culms of various grasses; and Puccinia striata attacks Carices, Jltnci and 

 species of Allium. 



In rny own experiments it was shown that the fungus peculiar to the ergots 

 could be made to grow between moistened glasses, and consequently apart 

 from the grain. It may, therefore, have many situations favourable to its 

 growth ; but because an ergot does not accompany it in its growth in all 

 situations, it is not on this account to be inferred that it cannot produce an 

 ergot when it selects the grain as its matrix, any more than it can be main- 

 tained, if Cynips quercus petioli lays its egg in the bark of the oak and no 

 gall follows, that it is not the origin of that excrescence when it deposits its 

 egg in the bud. It is necessary, I conceive, that to produce an ergot (which 

 is decidedly a diseased grain) the attack can only be effectual on grami- 



