CHAPTER XXVI. 



NEW DISEASES OF WHEAT, BARLEY, AND RYE -GRASS, 

 CAUSED BY 



Fusisporium culmorum, hordei, and Lolii, W.Sm. 



THERE can be no doubt that the injury caused to food 

 plants by various species of Fusisporium is much greater 

 than is generally supposed. We have already stated that 

 a form of the potato disease is caused by one or more pests 

 belonging to this genus. Perhaps one reason why some 

 species of Fusisporium have been overlooked is because 

 they are almost invisible without careful attention, com- 

 bined with a knowledge of their habits of growth. Some 

 species only resemble to the unaided eye a small gelatin- 

 ous patch, and when this patch is exactly the same colour 

 as the matrix on which it grows (which is often the case), 

 the difficulty of detecting the fungus is increased. 



A description of Fusisporium was given under Fusis- 

 porium Solani, Mart., Chapter V. , one of two species found 

 on potatoes. We will now briefly advert to three species 

 which at present have found no place in the text-books of 

 this country. 



There is a Fusisporium found on wheat generally tinted 

 with cream-colour or yellow, and possibly varying in col- 

 our from white to pink. It attacks the ears, chiefly per- 

 haps of those plants which have been more or less invaded 

 by corn mildew or other cereal fungi. This Fusisporium 

 forms a pale yellow-orange gelatinous stratum over the 

 ears or some portions of the ears. It glues the spikelets 

 together and stops the growth of the grain. Although 

 this pest has apparently been hitherto unrecognised by 



