312 POULTRY CULTURE 



into the substance of the leaf or stalk. The spores they form 

 are called uredospores. Later in the summer the production 

 of yellowish-red spores ceases and changes take place in the 

 mycelia, when, instead of yellowish-red spores, there is now 

 formed another kind, known as the teleutospore, and is not 

 capable of producing the disease if placed on a fresh plant. 



It must undergo another change in which a small hyphse-like 

 outgrowth is formed and which bears four spores; this is the 

 third kind of spore produced in the cycle. These latter spores 

 may be transmitted by the wind to other plants, where the 

 fungus again repeats its cycle. 



Smut of corn is produced by a fungus, Ustilago maydis, and is 

 said to be non-poisonous. Ustilago carbo is the fungus that 

 produces smut of oats. (See Fig. 104, j.) This fungus con- 

 sists of mycelia and spores. The flowering heads of grains, as 

 wheat, oats, rye, and barley, may be attacked. The diseased 

 area appears at first as a small whitish spot which, after the 

 spores have formed, appears black. This fungus completely 

 destroys the flowering head and seed. 



Claviceps purpurea is a fungus which attacks the grains of 

 grasses, as blue-grass and grains of rye. (See Fig. 104, k.) 

 The grain becomes enlarged to twice or more in length, and 

 varies from a brown to black in color. The attacked grain is 

 known as an ergotized one. 



Grain and mash exposed to sufficient dampness become 

 moldy. Figure 104, a, b, c, d, illustrates various kinds of 

 bacteria and molds, as stated before. The latter are made of 

 hyphse and spores. 



Damp graiji becomes dark in color and sprouts; the starch is 

 changed into sugar, and other chemical changes take place, be- 

 sides some of the nutrients are used up by the mold. Fermen- 

 tation of the mass raises the temperature and, if much bulk, 

 becomes quite hot to the hand. 



As soon as it is found that feedstuff becomes wet, it is advis- 

 able to spread it out in a thin layer so that it can readily dry 

 and thus produce unfavorable conditions for the growth of the 

 fungi. A dry place is essential for the storing of feedstuffs. 

 While the drying prevents sprouting, stops the fungoid growth. 



