126 
SELECTED ARTICLES. 
The size of these sporidia, upon an average, is about the 
l-4000th of an inch in length, and l-6000thof an inch in dia- 
meter, and the number on each ergot is uncertain; but as so 
many have been rubbed from one specimen as would fill a 
square inch of surface, it is probable, from the above measure- 
ment of their size, that about twenty millions may be calcu- 
lated as an average number on a full-sized specimen; and as an 
example of the extreme minuteness of organic matter, some 
of these sporidia contain eight or ten granules, which are so 
small that it would require 200 millions of such to cover the 
same surface, their size being not more than 1 -50,000th part 
of an inch. 
If these sporidia be kept moistened with water on any suit- 
able surface, or on a piece of glass, which is covered with a thin 
piece of talc, after a time it will be observed that these minute 
bodies commence germinating in various ways, and with me 
have continued to grow in this manner nearly three months. 
The most common method is that of the sporidia emitting 
a tube or tubes from some uncertain point or points, (fig. 9,) 
but generally opposite the spot where a green granule is lodged 
in the interior. This tube increases to an indefinite length, 
and contains throughout its interior similar green granules, ar- 
ranged at short but generally equal distances, about asfarfrom 
each other as they are in the interior of the sporidia; and I be- 
lieve that this tube ultimately separates into fragments, consti- 
tuting as many new ones. 
In many other instances, the sporidia, instead of producing 
a tube, give origin, opposite a green granule, to a minute bud; 
this little point increases, and ultimately separates from the pa- 
rent as a perfect sporidium, and frequently before its separa- 
tion shows an indication of producing a similar one from itself, 
(fig. 10.) 
Another way of increase amongst these singular germs is, 
that of the membrane composing the parietes of the sporidium 
breaking down, forming a flat patch, (fig. 11) which keeps ex- 
tending in all directions, and developing upon itself green 
granules, such as are seen in the interior of the other sporidia. 
