FLOWERS AND GRASSES. 85 



some of the seeds, standing out like a spur from the 

 scales of the flower-heads, and is known as " Ergot." 

 These are two of the most common diseases of the 

 grass tribe, all the' world over, except perhaps the 

 " rust " and the " mildew," which are about equally 

 common. As for the insectivorous pests of grasses 

 these are almost multitudinous. We can only suggest 

 that the vegetable and animal parasites of the grasses 

 and rushes are so numerous that an entire volume of 

 considerable size might be filled with mere descrip- 

 tions of them. ' 



