Cereals 305 



This disease is caused by the attack of a fungus upon the 

 ovary while the plant is in bloom. The fungus invades 

 and consumes the ovary and replaces it with the ergot, which 

 consists of a dense mass of tangled, interwoven mycelium, 

 a sclerotium. Ergots, when mature and under suitable 

 conditions, germinate, sending forth several stalks each, 

 with club-shaped, knobbed tops. From these the spores 

 issue to infect susceptible plants then in blossom. For 

 some days the fungus spreads from blossom to blossom by 

 means of other spores, and each infected ovary results in 

 another ergot. 



Loss to the grain and the damage to the plant are slight. 

 Chief injury from ergot arises from its effect upon cattle 

 that are fed ergotized grain or graze upon badly infected 

 grass. Animals become emaciated and rough-haired as the 

 result of continuous feeding of ergot. Further symptoms of 

 ergot poisoning are tardy circulation in the extremities, 

 gangrenous sores upon the teats or mouth, and sloughing off 

 of parts of the tail, ears, or hoofs. Abortion may also follow 

 as an additional effect. 



Fields should be examined for the presence of ergot. If 

 large quantities are found, the grass should not be used for 

 hay or pasture. Ergot can be lessened b}^ cutting susceptible 

 grasses about flowering time, thus checking the spread of the 

 fungus. Badty infested hay lands should be burned over to 

 destroy sclerotia ; roadside grasses should be cut often enough 

 to prevent the formation of ergot, and seed should be exam- 

 ined to prevent the spread of ergot through this means. 

 Seed may be freed of ergot by immersion in a 20 per cent 

 solution of common salt, which will float the ergot to the 

 surface. 



Black-stem-rust (Puccinia graminis secalis E. & H.). — 

 The description given in connection with wheat applies 

 here. 



Brown-leaf -rust {Puccinia dispersa E. & H.). — This 

 rust bears a very close resemblance to the rust caused by 

 Puccinia triticina upon wheat, but in careful inoculation ex- 



