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Qa the Origin of Ergot. 361 
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from the orifice. 
On the morning of the first of August, by observing the 
groups of flies, [ found two heads of rye near each other, and 
each of which contained a grain of punctured or diseased rye. 
The culms | tied toa stake, drove between them, the better 
to enable me again to find them, and to observe their future 
appearances, At that time ‘he punctured grains exhibited no 
symptoms of decay, otherwise than a small discharge of fluid. 
During the first day, the flies were busily employed in extract- 
ing their delicious beverage from the orifice of each grain, 
and when it did not flow in sufficient. quantity for their sup- 
ply, they would probe it anew. On the 2d of August both 
also discover the juice of the grain was still discharging 
grains appeared to be in a state of fermentation, and rapidly 
tending to decay. On the 3d, being forty-eight hours from 
the time when | commenced my observations, each grain had 
become a rotten and shapeless mass, and exhibited very little 
appearance of healthy rye. Then, on carefully opening the 
valves of the glume, | discovered in each a small black glo- 
ule, the size of which was rather larger than a pin’s head. 
These were situate at the points of the peduncles of the 
diseased grains, which afterwards proved to be ergot. Du- 
ring the first four days after the ergot was discovered, they 
‘grew in length very near two lines in each twenty-four 
hours, displacing the remains of the diseased rye from the 
glumes which they had occupied. On the 12th of August, 
the ergot had attained its fullgrowth. The dimensions of one 
gr +: of ergot were twelve lines in length, and three lines in 
diameter. The other grain measured a little less. 
On the 3d of August, being convinced that the primary 
cause of ergot was the puncture of the healthy grain by the 
fly, it occurred to me that perhaps it might be produced by 
such means as I possessed. T'o ascertain this fact, with the 
point of a fine needle I punctured four grains of rye, in the 
same head, it then being in a green pulpy state, and of full 
grown size. A discharge of the juice of the grains was soon 
discovered from the orifice of each. The flies collected as 
in those cases before mentioned. The result was, that on 
the fourth day after the operation was performed, ergot ap- 
peared in the glume, occupying the places of two of the 
punctured grains. The other two grains exhibited no symp- ae 
toms of decay, but continued in a healthy state. From ap. 
pearances, I am led to believe that in warm dry weather | = 
Vor. IX. No. 2. 46 > 
