67 



coming deeper bro\m and sligihtly reddish with a^, and 2.5 to3.5 cm in 

 diameter. The ostiloles give it an apparance like diminutive spilrod clubs 

 and the stipes reach a length of about 5 cm. At the height of maturity, the 

 p§rithecia measure 250 to 3Z5\i in length and 150 to 160 in vadth. The asci 

 are 2C0 to 215(j. long and 4^ wide, l-he spores are 150 to ISqj. long, tri- 

 ceptated. Tie conidia measure 9 to Igp, in length and 2.5 to 3.5|j, in width. 

 Because of the difference in the measurement of conidia the ascospores of 

 this Claviceps and C. purpurea and the fact that plants readily infected 

 vdth spares of the latter proved immane in his experiments and from some 

 other biological features, Pyles feels justified in considering this ergot 

 a distinct species, the diagnosis and scientific name of which he v/ill 

 give in his forltillicoming paper upon the compile tion of his -.vork. 



nTKHCTIOW r;:...IERnEFT3 . JTO Sl-ECI-'ilZED R'.CES OF SOME CJ-AVICEPS 3H5CIBS 

 -is is the case with other cereal diseases, it has been suspected 

 for a long time that the Claviceps of cereals and grasses is not one and 

 the Aaxoe species on all of the nimierous plants attacked by it. Stft'ger is 

 the first and only worker who has studied some of the knavn Claviceps species 

 from ihe standpoint of specialized races. He did this work during a period 

 of ovei ten years and contributed much toward the better understanding of t 

 this genus. Valuable as his v/ork is, much more i-S Jieeded and further 

 studies vail, no doubt clear up many points vvhich are not well understood. 



The results Stager obtainedare convincing as far as they go, 

 but a greater number of inoculations, especially cross inoculations, may 

 give somevdiat different results, or at least eliminate the last doubt as 

 to the correctness of this \7ork. 



Tlie methods used by Stager in his inoculation work v/ith Claviceps 

 are very simple. The plants to be infected are brought to the greenhouse, 

 or any other room, a v/eek before flo\7ering so as to avoid external infection. 

 The infected plants are kept uncovered in the greenhouse, or xuader jars,' 



