130 



Minnesota Plant Diseases. 



the spores and sacs from the capsule. The spore-cells or the 

 honey-dew spores may be carried to another flower and thus 

 the life-story is recommenced by the new infection of the grain. 

 The ergot fungus is common on a great many grasses and 

 particularly upon cultivated species as wheat, rye, barley, etc. 

 It is found very abundantly upon wild rice in many places and 

 is also abundant on grasses growing on railroad right-of-ways. 

 (Figs. 53 to 55, 154, 155.) 



FIG. 55. Fruiting bodies and spores of the ergot fungus. 1. Young ergot in honey-dew 

 spore stage. 2. Small section of the top of 1, showing summer or honey-dew spores. 

 3. A germinated ergot with sac-capsule-bearing clubs. 4. The end of one of the clubs 

 in 3. 5. Section of 4, showing capsules at surface of head. 6. An enlarged view of a 

 capsule, showing arrangement of sacs. 7. A single sac showing long, thread-like 

 spores. 1, 6 and 7 highly magnified; 4 and 5 of medium magnification. 1-6 after 

 Tulasne; 7 after Brefeld. 



Caterpillar fungi (Hypocrcacccc in part}. A very close rela- 

 tive of the ergot fungus is the caterpillar fungus, the habits of 

 which have already been described in a previous chapter. 

 Spores of the fungus send out germ threads which penetrate 

 the hard coat of the caterpillar or grub and, feeding on the soft 



