76 On Smut in Wheat, 



The first is our recticularia segetum^ or smut, and 

 which in England, is called dust brand, smut, or burnt 

 corn, a species common to wheat, oats, barley, and rye ; 

 is scentless, and consumes not only the farinaceous part 

 of the grain, but even the chaff. 



The second is called pepper brandy or bladders; this 

 species consumes only the farinaceous part of the grain, 

 which assumes a deep and dingy hue, and, being crumb- 

 led, emits a very foetid scent, like putrid fish, which 

 distinguishes it from the former; it is considered as 

 veiy prejudicial to the farmer. 



The third is that known to agriculturists by the name 

 q{ red gum (cecidum^) which thi'ows forth a powder of 

 a bright orange colour — this minute mushroom does 

 not appear to be so materially injurious to the grain. 



The fourth is very common on wheat, the uredo fru- 

 mentis (Sov\^erby 140) grows on the ears, straw, and 

 chaff, bursting in longitudinal streaks from under the 

 epidermis, or skin ; this is represented as the blight of 

 the wheat, and which in certain soils and seasons, is so 

 very injurious to that grain. *^ 



The fifth is the one, by which the wheat, in certain 

 paits of England, in the year 1797, suffered very consi- 

 derably, which the farmers call blight or mildew^ and by 

 far the worst enemy to wheat; the cars injured by it, were 

 distinguished at a considerable distance, by their black- 

 ness, and on closer examination, they appeared as if soot 

 or some smutty powder had been thrown upon them ; 

 the chaff appeai^ed covered with small black dots, very 

 different in appearance from the uredo frumenti^ on the 



* Sowerby on British fungi. Vol. 2. Table 139 and 140. 



