Cereals 



281 



blossoms. The fungus, reaching the blossoms, gains such 

 foothold upon the developing grain that its use as seed, with- 

 out treatment, insures a smutted seedling as offspring. In 



Fig. 147. — Loose-smut of barley in various stages of develo]iinent. 

 After Johnson. 



the plant developing from such an infected seedling the 

 disease does not show externally mitil the smut ripens at the 

 next blossoming season. 



The life history of this smut is thus similar to that of 



