336 AGRICULTURE. 



^.INJURIOUS FUNGI. 



The enemies of plants are not restricted to 

 animal forms, but many of them are low forms 

 of plants. Parasitic fungi, or low forms of 

 plants which do not have the power to live upon 

 unorganized food as green plants do, feed upon 

 the tissues of living or dead animals or plants, 

 and often do a great amount of damage. The 

 fungi, which feed upon living plants greatly 

 concern the agriculturist. Millions of dollars 

 are lost yearly by the damage caused by para- 

 sitic fungi. 



The parts of the fungus are the mycelium 

 (the vegetative threads which ramify the tissues 

 of the host), and the minute spores, or repro- 

 ductive organs, the function of which is similar 

 to that of the seed of higher plants. 



I. Specific Examples. 



Space permits only the brief mention of a few 

 of the numerous fungi, but it is hoped that this 

 may be sufficient to give the student a slight 

 idea of their development and the method of 

 combating them. 



i. Brown Rot (Monilia fructigena] (Fig. 123). 

 This is the familiar rot of the plum, peach, 

 and cherry, first appearing as a small dark spot 

 on the nearly ripe fruit. The ripe spores are 

 easily carried by the wind, and frequently 

 this rot destroys the entire crop. The rot 

 spreads fast if the weather is warm and moist. 



