XXVII. ] 



ERGOT. 



225 



mildew. We have the English word sphacelate, which 

 means to become affected with gangrene. 



It unfortunately happens that this viscid early condition 

 of ergot has had other names in addition to Sphacelia. 

 Queckett termed it Ergotcetia abortifaciens, whilst Messrs. 

 Berkeley and Broome believed it to be an Oidium, and 

 described it as 0. abortifaciens; and in this they were 

 perfectly justified, for the fungus displays the characters 

 of a true Oidium, a condition of some fungi which has 

 been adverted to be- 

 fore in this work 

 under the Oidium of 

 the turnip, and the 

 Oidium or early con- 

 dition of the Ery- 

 siphe of grass mildew. 

 The Sphacelia is the 



o 



Oidium or larval 

 state of ergot. 



We must now once 

 more return to the 

 microscope, and take 

 a thin, transparent 

 slice from the point 

 of junction between 

 the indurated ergot 

 below and its viscid 

 Oidium top. If we 

 magnify a thin sec- 

 tional slice 400 di- 

 ameters, we shall see 

 it as at Fig. 1 05 : the 



X-400 



FIG. 105. Section through the Sphacelia or 

 Oidium of Ergot. Enlarged 400 diameters. 



compacted cells of the ergot are at the bottom left-hand 

 corner, and the much looser mucilaginous and filamentous 

 growth is shown above. The upper part is the Oidium or 

 Sphacelia, which not only carries its own nucleated conidia, 

 but is often swarming with bacteria and minute infusiorial 



