TILLKTIA. .".t.i'. 



ceased, begin to thicken, at first equally, then nnnv at .->me 

 places than others, so that they become nodose or ro-.uy-like, 

 with Dwellings at irregular intervals. Tin- spores originate in 

 the swellings, and between tin-in aiv formed cross-septa which 

 split and bring about isolation of tin- spore-. 



Kuhn's experiments on infection are of eon.-iderable interest. 

 He investigated the germination of this and other smut-fungi, 

 cultivating many of them in his gardeD at Halle, and published 

 his re-nits as early as 1858. l In his artificial infection> he 

 dusted seedlings with spores of Ti/f>/i", and investigated the 

 different parts of them microscopically. Section- <ho\\ed him 

 that tin- germ-tubes penetrate direct through the walls into 

 the epidermal cells, and always in the neighbourhood of the 

 lowe-t nodes. Thence the mycelium gro\\- upwards with the 

 lengthening plant, especially through the pith, and the plasma 

 of the older mycelium passes onwards into younger part-. In 

 thi- way the hyphae, without greatly disturbing the growth of 

 the wheat-seedling-, reach the ovaries, and with the formation 

 of spores begin the work of destruction. 



Kuhii was al.-o able to demonstrate that both germinating 

 sporidia and eonidia are capable of infection, and that, where 

 many had infected the -aine plant, so much mycelium could be 

 produced that death of the ho.-t ensued. According to the 

 same authority, the fungus attacks spring wheat more than 

 uint'-r \\heat. and the common form.- ( 7V// /',///// *,///////// and 

 T. tn,-<iiil a in) with nearh allied \arietic-. more than "spelt" 



( Ti-itirHul Sjnlln ). 



A- .1 preventive mea.-ure against Tillitin. the experimeni- ol 

 Kellei inaiiii. Swingle. Kirclnier. and others, lead them to recom- 

 mend Jensen's method of placing the -ceil in hot Water immedi- 

 ately before ,-owillg. (Sec ( 'hap. V I. ) 



Tilletia laevis Kuhn. < I'.S. America. i This i.- another >| ink 

 iir_ -mm of wheat similar to '/'. /,///</', except that it- spores 

 have perfectly smooth coats, 



T. controversa Kuhn. l-'ound in grain- of '/'/// /V///// 



(coiieh-gra-- I a- \\ell a- '/'/'. r/'/i/,!,; and '/'/-. //"'""///. Tin- 

 .-po|. are di.-tiiigui-hed from those of '/'. tritici by ihe higher 

 ridge-, and wider me-he- on tin- cpi-poiium. The mycelium 



inn- i" Knlin, l'i.-\i,-i .,n,l 'I'lila-nr li.iil in 1- . ' if. I .mi ex perin 



;il-.. < I. i. ii.-n in 17-1 



