POISONOUS PLANTS 



163 



POISONING DUE TO DISEASED FORAGE AND 

 MOULDS. 



The fungi apt to affect forage are Ustilago carbo, or smut, 

 attacking grasses and grains ; Ustilago maydis, affecting 



Fig. 8. — Smut of Oats. 



A, panicle of oats attacked from below upwards ; B, spikelet with the fungus 

 in an early stage of growth ; C, free spores of Ustilago carbo ; D, spores 

 germinating and producing yeast-like buds. 



(From Smith's ' Veterinary Hygiene.') 



maize; Pucciniagraminis, causing rust and mildew in grains; 

 Claviceps purpurea, or ergot of rye ; and Tilletia ca/)'ies — all 

 of which cause disease of the growing grain. Moulds affect 

 damp, badly harvested or stored forage, and cause fermen- 



