CHAP. I. 



ERGOT. 



927 



first of a somewhat ashen or dull leaden hue, 

 becomes at length purplish -black. Examination 

 serves to show that the ergots have usurped the 

 place of the grain, or, in other words, that the 

 structure which under normal circumstances should 

 ripen into the fruit, or grain, or so-called " seed " of 

 the grass, is replaced by the hard, dingy-looking pro- 

 tuberance called ergot. This is the stage in which 

 the parasite is dangerous, and when its consumption 

 by in-calf cows may prove to be one of the causes 

 of abortion, bringing in its train 

 annoyance, disappointment, and 

 loss. 



Special attention is directed to 

 the fact that ergot only attacks the 

 ovary, or young grain, of grasses. 

 From this circumstance may be 

 drawn two very obvious but practical 

 conclusions : in the first place, that 

 it is useless to look for any indica- 

 tions of ergot upon the stems or 

 leaves of grasses ; in the second 

 place, that the only period during 

 which ergot can be found growing 

 upon a grass is when the latter has 

 expanded its flowering-head or 

 panicle. A grass before flowering 

 is free from ergot. 



Since, then, ergot is only to be 

 found in the flowers of grasses, little 

 danger need be apprehended from 

 it during spring and early summer. 

 But from midsummer down to the 

 end of the year precautions are 

 necessary. The earliest date on 

 which we have actuall} 7 detected 

 ergot has been in the first week of 

 July, but by careful observation it 

 may possibly be discovered earlier. 

 Obviously, it may be expected to 

 appear at different times on dif- 

 ferent species of grass, according 

 to their time of flowering ; thus it 

 may be looked for earlier in sweet 

 vernal or in foxtail than in timothy 

 grass. The later flowering grasses, 

 and those whose " bents " remain 

 standing far into the winter, afford means whereby the presence of 

 ergot may be ensured almost till the return of spring. Excepting in 



Fig. 435. Darnel 

 Grass (ergoted). 



Fig. 436. 

 Timothy Grass 



(ergoted). 



