THE AGRICULTURAL PESTS OF INDIA. 97 



Dactylium roseum (syn. Tricothecium roseum), or 

 thread-mould, is a creeping mycelium, from which arise 

 short erect threads, crowned above with a few obovate, 

 unistipitate spores. The mass is at first white, but at 

 length acquires a pale rose colour. It occurs on various 

 objects, living or dead, and is sometimes highly destruct- 

 ive to the cucumber plants. It is very common over 

 all the poppy during moist warm weather, and also on 

 opium everywhere, but does not injure the opium. 



Trichoderma viride, a minute thread-mould, with 

 snowy white threads, from which spring numerous spores 

 of a pale greenish-yellow colour. It jiffects the roots and 

 base of the stem of the poppy. 



Sporotrichum, sp. t is not unfrequent on the roots of 

 the poppy. 



Cladosporium herbarium is very common in the older 

 gummy exudations of the poppy, and on any injured part. 



Mucor mucedo, an extremely common, blackish-looking 

 mould. 



Aregma moniliforme, the necklace brand, is found on 

 the stem and leaves of the poppy. 



Lecythea, sp., is a yellow rust, which in 1866-67 

 formed a dense and thick layer over the surface of the 

 leaves of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. 



Trichobasis, s^>., an orange-coloured rust, is a parasitic 

 fungus which causes extensive injury in the later cereal 

 crops of Bengal, barley and wheat more especially. It 

 also affects the tobacco and henbane plants. 



Ustilago, sp., is detected on the millets, or from the 

 smut-coloured ears. 



Caterpillars do some damage, and to attract them such 

 crops as lettuce are sometimes mixed with the poppy. 



An east wind during lancing time is exceedingly harm- 



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