DISEASES OF MAIZE. 267 



cellular substance appears to be interwoven with irregular masses of brand, partially 

 isolated and in the form of cells : the cellular substance, which still remains standing, 

 forms white sheath-walls and cells, or, better described, deficiencies, the hollow space of 

 which is filled with the dark brown brand. By and by this remains of the cellular tissue, 

 constituting sheath-walls, becomes absorbed, and only the outer skin of the brand-bladder 

 continues standing; but it begins likewise to be colored reddish or smutty, to become 

 wrinkled or in folds, to dry up, and finally to tear open, by which the substance of the 

 brand-spores is emptied and as it were sown out. 



This species of brand causes manifold degenerations of particular parts and organs of 

 the mother plants. On the stalk it forms irregularly rounded brand-bladders, very greatly 

 differing in size. On the female blossoms, it never attacks all the blossoms (blilthen) of an 

 ear ; the blossoms on the top of the ear are for the most part more exposed to the brand 

 than those at the base. Often only those fruit-buds that stand at the very tip, and frequently 

 only the basilar ones, are diseased. Here the brand attacks only the fruit-knot, and 

 changes it directly into a brand-bladder; so that indeed a person may find on the latter 

 still the remains of the wasted pistil. But the rachis (midrib 7) itself I have never found 

 entirely gone. More frequently it seizes on the husk-leaves, and then changes the whole 

 ear, or the fruit-bearing branch, into an organ not unlike a pine apple : it thickens all the 

 leaves, and forms them similar to the scales of a fir cone. But in the male blossoms 

 (bliithen) the brand seizes on the receptacle and the anthers, more rarely the petals, and 

 changes all these organs into white, curled-up, easily-bent brand-bladders, one to three 

 lines thick and often two or three inches long, which are likewise white, and of a beauti- 

 ful silky lustre, sligtly tinged with red at the tip and on the side springing open to let out 

 the spores. 



The spores (Fig. 2) in their normal state are globular, but they are very frequently like- 

 wise somewhat ellipsoidal : in a ripe state, they are brown. The spore-skin is covered 

 with little warts ; and on many spores may be observed a dark point in the middle, the 

 little opening (feusterchen 1 hilum) by which they were ^fastened to the fibrous bearer. 

 Their diameter varies from 0-000320 to 0-000340 Paris inch. 



This species always impairs some blossoms, as soon as it is seated in the ear, while the 

 other blossoms standing near bear good ripe kernels. The brand-bladders can be very easily 

 removed from the living plants by cutting them out ; only this must be done as timely as 

 possible, in order that in cutting them out, the bladders may not scatter their powder, 

 and thus a future crop of brand not be prevented. For seed only, kernels should be 

 selected from plants which have remained wholly free from the brand. This kind of brand 

 is, by the structure of its spores, different from all others, and only related to the wheat 

 brand. 



Explanation of the Illustrations. 

 Fig. 1, brand-bladders : a, on the stalk of maize of the natural size ; b, such a brand- 

 bladder cut through lengthwise. Fig. 2, spores strongly magnified. 



