v] Ergot and Clover Sickness 63 
the most suitable for the fungus. It has been found on 
red, crimson, white, alsike clovers, and on beans, lucerne, 
sainfoin and black medick. It causes much more 
damage to red clover than to the others. The shoots 
of the attacked plants droop, the leaves turn brown 
and usually become matted together in a rotting mass. 
This state of affairs spreads from 
plant to plant in suitable weather. 
Small black irregular bodies, some- 
thing like rats’ droppings, are found 
on the stems or roots or on the 
soil. These are the sclerotia or 
resting stage of the fungus .They 
consist of a dense mass of hyphae 
(see Fig. 22). When kept in damp Fig, 85. Seleraiinte wi. 
earth in the open air they even- Poliorimi& eolerctinm 
tually send up small brownish which has germinated 
saucer-like bodies on the ends of  andproducedasaucer- 
stalks of varying lengths (see Fig. 23). en acy ae 
Near the upper surface are situated Massec:) 
a number of asci, each of which 
contains eight oval ascospores. In nature these asco- 
spores germinate and produce a mycelium which enters 
the clover plant, ramifies throughout the stem and 
leaves, and kills them. After a time this mycelium 
forms sclerotia. 
Remedial Measures. 
There is no evidence that the disease is ever carried 
by the seed. If the disease occurs in small patches, 
the plants on these patches should be dug up and burnt 
to destroy the sclerotia and prevent the disease from 
spreading. These patches may then be resown. The 
