Am  jour  Pharm.  >  The  Cultivation  of  Ergot  725 
vJct.)  1921.  5 
as  it  has  in  the  case  of  the  teleutospores  of  certain  russ.  A  rest 
period  appears  to  be  necessary,  but  its  length  is  unknown. 
As  far  as  is  at  present  known,  ergots  are  best  germinated  by 
sowing  them  about  one  centimeter  deep  in  boxes  of  sandy  earth  in 
the  autumn,  and  then  sinking  the  boxes  in  the  open  ground.  They 
will  then  germinate  with  perfect  regularity  in  the  spring,  when  the 
weather  is  wrarm  and  moist.  If  necessary  the  boxes  may  be  cov- 
ered with  glass.  Sclerotia  that  have  been  made  capable  of  germina- 
tion by  exposure  to  frost  can  be  taken  up  in  February  and  kept  dry 
till  wanted.  Rapidity  of  germination  appears  to  depend  chiefly  on 
the  temperature;  at  ordinary  room  temperature  the  first  stromata 
will  appear  in  about  a  fortnight.  The  ejaculation  of  the  spores  can 
easily  be  observed  under  a  strong  lens ;  it  lasts  at  least  several  days, 
and  is  influenced  by  warmth  and  moisture;  it  may  even  cease  and 
then  recommence.  Although  the  number  of  spores  ejaculated  from 
each  head  is  very  large,  their  direct  utilization'  for  the  purpose  of 
infection  is  not  feasible.  The  spacelia  with  its  condia  is  much 
better  adapted  for  this  purpose.  Large  quantities  can  be  produced 
either  on  the  rye  grain  itself  or  by  means  of  a  pure  culture.  In 
the  former  case  several  inflorescences  are  enclosed  in  glass  tubes 
closed  at  each  end  with  cotton,  wool,  and  ergots  with  ripe  asci  are 
introduced.  As  the  flowers  open  they  become  infected  and  produce 
honey-dew  in  about  eight  days ;  this  can  be  collected,  suspended  in 
water,  and  the  suspension  used  in  a  spray  for  infection  on  a  large 
scale.  This  method  is  attended  by  numerous  practical  difficulties, 
and  it  is  preferable  to  obtain  the  quantity  of  sphacelia  necessary  by 
pure  culture.  This  is  easily  done  by  allowing  the  spores  to  be 
ejaculated  from  the  perithecia  on  to  nutrient  gelatin  in  Petri  dishes. 
The  spores  germinate  at  once,  and  the  colonies  can  be  transferred, 
together  with  a  small  piece  of  the  gelatin,  to  a  suitable  nutrient 
medium  contained  in  large  flasks.  In  these  enormous  quantities  of 
conidia  are  produced.  Further  propagation  by  inoculation  is  easy, 
so  that  there  is  no  difficulty  in  having  the  necessary  amount  always 
at  hand.  As  the  sclerotia  can  be  induced  to  germinate  during  the 
winter  the  cultivation  of  the  sphacelia  can  be  carried  on  during 
the  spring  at  a  time  convenient  for  the  flowering  of  the  rye.  The 
cultures  are  shaken  with  water,  and  the  suspension  used  with  a 
spray. 
Infection  is  very  difficult.    It  can  be  accomplished  only  when 
