of particles of exceedingly diminutive size, forming a complete 

 coating to the young grain, so that no part of its body was visible 

 through it. 



From this state the increase of the young ergot, but not of the 

 filaments and particles, was very rapid ; for in a short time after, when 

 the ergot began to appear between the paleae of the flower, its violet 

 black colour was then visible, on account of the mildewed appear- 

 ance not keeping pace in development with the ergot*. 



After the ergot begins to appear beyond the palese, it in a short 

 time attains its full size, and loses almost entirely its mildewed 

 covering, presenting now its perfect violet black surface, and mea- 

 sures in different specimens from half an inch to one inch and half. 



If the ergot be examined carefully at this period, in such speci- 

 mens as have not been subjected to injury or displacement on the 

 plant, it will be found that at its base are the two scales which are 

 observable in the same place in the healthy grain, and that it is ar- 

 ticulated to the receptacle, and separates from it as readily as the 

 grain when ripe does from the same spot, and at the apex of it is a 

 small body, frequently hairy, on which can be observed the remains 

 of the stigmas. 



From the relations of the ergot to these parts, and compared with 

 those of the healthy grain, it is found that it is placed between and 

 upon the same organs as the grain, and there cannot be a doubt but 

 that this singular body is not an independent fungus, but a grain 

 diseased from causes presently to be mentioned. 



When the particles before mentioned, which occur on the surfacfr 

 of the ergot, and which are also found in a viscid fluid that hangs 

 about the paleae of the infected grass, are examined by the micro- 

 scope, their size is found to be 4-dVd- part of an inch in length, and 

 Wo-o- part of an inch in diameter in the generality of instances, and 

 their number is countless, probably 20 millions on each ergot. 

 When magnified from 500 to 800 times, it then can be observed that 

 their interior contains several well-defined green dots or granules, 

 two or three being the most common numbers. 



If these particles, which are no doubt the cause of the ergot, as 

 they are found on every ergotized grass and are the sporidia of a cer- 

 tain fungus, be kept moistened on any convenient surface, as between 

 a plate of glass and talc, they soon commence germinating (if recent) 



• The growth of the ergot is very rapid when compared with that of the 

 grain. Philippar, in his ' Traite Organographique et Physiologico-agricole 

 sur I'Ergot, &c., dans les Cereales', observed some particular plants of rye, 

 whilst passing by a certain corn-field, which had no appearance of ergot, but 

 ten or twelve days after these same plants had full-sized ergots upon them. 



