ON ERGOT. 1,5 



432) under the name of A. maritujia, Cheshire, Warren, and Surrey, 

 Britten, and A. peniviana, Kent, Dyer. These plants are in all 

 probability to be referred to one species, to which also a specimen 

 from Oxfordshire, collected by Mr. A. French in 1865 belongs. They 

 have certainly nothing to do with A. maritima, and are probably the 

 same as the Grerman Bpecimens. — Henry Trimen. 



(extract^ anb Stb^tract^, 



ON ERGOT. 



Wy Wii. Caefxthees, F.R.S. 

 {Consulting Botanist to tie Royal Agricultural Society of England.) 



Eegot has been observed on a large number of our native and cul- 

 tivated grasses, as well as on our cereal crops. The grasses that are 

 most subject to its attacks are Rye-grass {Loliiim perenne, Linn.) ; 

 the Brome-grasses (Bromus secalinus, Linn., B. mollis, Linn., B. 

 pratensis, Ehr.); Couch-grass {Triticum repens, Linn.); Fox-tail- 

 grass (Alopecurus pratensis, Linn.) ; Timothy-grass {Phleum pratense, 

 Linn.) ; Fescue-grass {Festuca elatior, Linn.) ; Barley-grass {Hordeum 

 murinum, Linn.); and Manna-grass {Glyceria fiuitans, R. Br.). 



As we are most familiar with the appearance of ergot on the 

 cereals, we shall first notice the grain plants affected by it. That on 

 which it is best known, and from which it is chiefly collected for use 

 in medical practice, is Rye {Secale eereale, Linn.); 



In barley and wheat ergot is not so frequently met with as in rye ; 

 nevertheless, when carefully sought for, it will often be found. It 

 has been observed in all the cultivated varieties of wheat. 



Francis Bauer made a series of experiments with the view of 

 discovering the manner in which different diseases due to microscopic 

 fungi might be communicated to wheat and other cereals. He placed 

 a quantity of the powder (spores) of bunt on the seed of spring wheat, 

 which he then sowed. As the wheat ripened it became extensive y 

 affected with the bunt disease. In bunt the contents of the grains 

 are generally completely replaced by a uniform black powder; the 

 grain is brittle and easily crushed between the fingers, when it has a 

 greasy feeling and gives off an offensive fetid smell. Under the 

 microscope this black powder is seen to be composed of sphericnl 

 spores with a reticu'ated surface. If a diseased grain is examined 

 before the spores are fully ripe, they will be seen to be attached by 

 short stalks to a fine branched thread or mycelium, which appears to 

 be absorbed as the spores ripen, and it can scarcely be detected in the 

 fuliy ripe bunt. 



Besides the bunt, ergot also appeared in Bauer's small experi- 



