THE SEDGE FAMILY 39 



of the fruiting organs to be sent out the following spring. They 

 then harden up, turn dark purple, and fall to the ground or are 

 carried away with the grain or hay. 



The sclerotia are common on many grasses, particularly 

 on rye, wheat, barley and wild rice, as well as on Western Couch 

 Grass and other prairie grasses cut for hay. They all contain an 

 alkaloid and other violent poisons. Some are used in medicine 

 under the name of "Ergot of Rye." Bread made from flour 

 containing ergot may cause a serious disease known as ergotism; 

 and animals which feed on grain or hay containing ergot may also 

 be severely poisoned, as is sometimes the case on our western 

 plains. Abortion is one well known result of cows feeding on 

 ergotized grain. 



Hay containing much ergot should not be fed. Ergotized 

 grain should be thoroughly screened and the sclerotia destroyed. 

 Seed from an ergotized crop should not be used if any other can 

 be procured. 



THE SEDGE FAMILY (Cyperaceae) . 



The sedges are similar to the grasses in general appearance, 

 with fibrous roots and mostly solid stems. The part of the leaf 

 embracing the stem is closed. Galingale {Cyperus diandrus 

 Torr.), Nutgrass (Cyperus esculentus L.) and other species 

 are troublesome weeds, particularly in hoed crops on wet lands. 

 Nutgrasses spread by short rootstocks and are exceedingly 

 difficult to eradicate. Land where sedges give trouble should be 

 thoroughly drained; they will then succumb to autumn fallow 

 with clean cultivation followed by hoed crop. Some of the sedges 

 as Awned Sedge {Carex trichocarpa Muhl. var. aristata (R. Br.) 

 Bailey) and a few of the allied species, are valuable fodder plants 

 for wet lands. 



In general those Weeds are most numerous which rise from Seeds; and those most 

 difficult to be extirpated which come from Roots. 



Thomas Hale, The Compleat Body of Husbandry, 1756. 



