926 THE COMPLETE GRAZIER. BOOK x. 



YORKSHIRE FOG (Holcus lanatus, L.) is a widely distributed weed- 

 grass. The whole plant has a delicate woolly covering (fig. 433), whence 

 it is also known as meadow soft grass, and, in North America, as velvet 

 grass. This external coat, the flaccid character of the plant, and 

 its bitter flavour combine to render it distasteful to stock. Its 

 panicle, which remains closed up to the time of flowering, is a 

 pretty object with its various shades of colour, ranging from greenish 

 to purplish. The panicle spreads out at the time of flowering, and as 

 the seeds ripen it assumes a brown and withered appearance. York- 

 shire fog is very common in water meadows, and in inferior hayfields. 

 It is less abundant in rich pastures, from which it is sometimes entirely 

 absent. As it ripens its seeds early, hay containing much Yorkshire 

 fog may be the means of disseminating this pest on arable sheep 

 farms. The hay being fed in troughs to the sheep, the " seeds " of the 

 Yorkshire fog fall out upon the ground, with the result that rows 

 of Holcus lanatus spring up in the places where the troughs have 

 stood. Yorkshire fog should be discouraged in favour of better 

 grasses, and care should be exercised lest its seed be inadvertently 

 introduced, either as an adulterant or an impurity, in mixtures for 

 sowing. 



The closely allied creeping soft grass (Holcus mollis, L.) is much 

 less common. It (fig. 434) frequents hedgerows, copses, and waste 

 places, seldom intruding upon either the meadow or the pasture. 

 Whilst Holcus lanatus is equally woolly all over, Holcus mollis is 

 more woolly at the joints than on any other portions of the plant ; by 

 this means the two species can be distinguished the one from the other. 



Various fungoid parasites 1 attack grasses. Rust (Puccinia graminis, 

 Pers.) so commonly seen upon the straw of cereals, may also be 

 noticed upon meadow grasses. The white rust, or grass mildew 

 (Erysiphe graminis, D.C.) causes an appearance like streaks of white- 

 wash upon the leaves and stems. Smut and bunt appear upon the ear 

 or panicle. Smut (Ustilago carbo, Tul.) converts the ear into a dark 

 brown, or chocolate-coloured dust, which is easily blown away by the 

 wind. Bunt (Tilletia caries, Tul.) causes the grain in the ear to swell 

 up into a greasy mass, with a disgusting fish-like odour ; its attacks 

 appear in England to be confined to wheat and barley. None of the 

 foregoing fungoid pests of grasses are, however, so dangerous as ergot, 

 which, as it is frequently the subject of inquiry on the part of graziers, 

 merits special notice. 



ERGOT (Claviceps purpurea, Tul.) is easily recognised by the peculiar 

 spur-like protrusions from which the fungus derives its name (French, 

 ergot, a spur or cock-spur). These are so characteristic that, when 

 once known, no other fungal pest upon grasses is at all likely to 

 be mistaken for ergot. The spurs or ergots (figs. 435, 436) vary in size 

 according to the species of grass attacked, but their shape and general 

 appearance are always much the same, though the colour, which is at 



1 For fuller details, see "Elements of Agriculture," by W. Fream. London: John 

 Murray, Sixth Edition, 1897. 



