1826.] the Ongin of Ergot. IS 



examining it daily for many weeks. It was of that species, 

 which, in this part of the country, is usually denominated the 

 'Nonoatj or White l\ye, and which has ever been observed to be 

 far more productive of ergot than the Enghsh spring rye, or that 

 which is said to be a native of the island of Candia. But it is not 

 recollected, that during- any former season, the ergot has been 

 found so abundant, in this vicinity, as during the last. 



The Norway rye is in blossom about as early in the season as 

 the English spring rye ; but is two weeks later at harvest. Froni 

 this circumstance, one reason may be assigned, why the former 

 is so much more productive of ergot, than the latter. The longer 

 the grain continues in the pulpy or milkij state, the more favour- 

 able is the opportunity presented for the operation of the cause 

 which produces Ihe ergot. That such is the fact, experience 

 clearly demonstrates. 



The field of rye which I very frequently examined, was in full 

 blossom about the 30th of June ; but I discovered no appear- 

 ances of ergot till the 22d of July. From that time, until the 

 12th of August, when the rye was harvested, it might be found 

 of various dimensions. Upon minute examination, 1 discovered 

 that every grain of ergot, as it emerged from the glume, had 

 attached to its apex the shrivelled rind of a grain of rye, which 

 had the appearance of once being in a healthy state. This led 

 me to conjecture that a diseased state of the rye was the primary 

 cause of the ergot. To ascertain the fact, I repaired to the rye- 

 field, where I discovered groups of flies collected upon the heads 

 of rye, apparently in the pursuit of something within the glume. 

 On opening the valve of the glume, where the flies were thus 

 collected, 1 found the sacchanne juice of the grains of rye was 

 oozing out, and would soon produce small drops. I was then 

 convinced that it was this saccharine fluid which was so inviting 

 to the multitude of flies that collected upon those heads of rye, 

 which contained any diseased grains. Having collected a num- 

 ber of grains, of full-grown size, and exhibiting appearances 

 similar to those above described, I placed the same under a 

 microscope, by which I could clearly discover a small orifice in 

 each, near the end opposite to that to which the thread of nutri- 

 tion had been attaciied. I could also discover the juice of the 

 grain was still discharging from the orifice. 



On the morning of the first of August, by observing the 

 groups of flies, I i'ound two heads of rye near each other, and 

 each of which contained a grain of punctured or diseased rye. 

 The culms I tied to a stake, drove between them, the better to 

 enable me again to find them, and to observe their future 

 appearances. At that time the punciured grains exhibited no 

 symptoms of decay, otherwise than a small discharge of fluid. 

 During the first day, the flies were busily employed in extracting 

 their delicious beverage from the orifice of each grain, and when 

 it did not flow in sutficient quantity for their supply, they wotild 



