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 ( bluthen ) 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?) 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 
(bluthen) 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? hilum) by which they were fastened to the fibrous bearer. 
Their diameter varies from O'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. 
j Explanation of the Illustrations. 
Fig. 1, brand-bladders : a, on the stalk of maize of the natural size; h, such a brand- 
bladder cut through lengthwise. Fig. 2, spores strongly magnified. 
