The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-06

ly shaped and colored succulent plants
which abound in our woods and meadows
and are known under the common names
of toad stools, mushrooms and puff-balls.
But how many are there that know that
all forms of rust, smut, mildew and mould
are produced by the growth of similar
group of plants, only much smaller in
size? Many of this latter class are so
small that they can be seen only with
the aid of the microscope, yet they are
found everywhere, and the number of
different species is immense. The ques-
tion naturally arises, "Of what use are
these plants of this low order of growth ?"
Some we know are beneficial, while many
others are injurious. A large number of
the mushroom family are edible, some of
the puff-balls are used for staunching the
flow of blood, but by far the most valua-
BILE species are those which produce fer
ments in the manufacture of liquors.
Every housewife knows that in making
bread yeast in some form is added. This
yeast is nothing but a fungoid plant.
When placed in the dough these plants
multiply very rapidly; acids are formed,
and the bread rises, or becomes light.
Mildew, mould, smut and rust are exam
piles Of the most injurious kinds of fungi.
These are all very destructive to vegeta-
tion. A kind cf mildew attacked the
grape vines in France and at one time
spread over nearly the whole country,
causing great loss and suffering. The
history Of the "potato rot' in Ireland
furnishes another illustration of the
powers of fungi. In one season it de-
stroyed nearly the whole crop, and, as
this was the principal food of the people,
they found themselves without subsis-
tence, and many starved to death.
If we take common puff-bald and
press it in the hand we observe a cloud
of dust rising from it. This dust is its
seed, or what is called spores. One ball
may produce millions of these spores.
Rust and smut, as seen in wheat and
other grain, are thought to be distinct
species, but they are not. The vegetable
part of these fungi, which answers to the
roots in higher plsnts, consists of a large
number of minute, delicate threads, in.
tertwining, and often uniting one to the
other by means of lateral branchlets.
These threads permeate the leaves and
stalks of the different kinds of grain on
which the rust appears. From these
threads, or roots, the reproductive parts
appear through assures, giving the plants
affected reddish appearance that we call
rust. These reddish colored masses con-
tain thousands of spores, which are blown
about by the wind. They fall upon other
plants, and if the weather is favorable
will sprout, grow and ripen their seed in
two days, so that in short time whole
field may be badly injured or almost to.
tally destroyed, The spores from the
rust develop into smut; thus smut and
rust alternate, smut carrying through the
winter the spores which produce the
rust. Sometimes rust is more abundant,
and sometimes smut, depending upon the
conditions favoring the termination OF
the spores. The remedy for smut and
rust is to avoid sowing the spores with
the seed. The spores may be killed by
wetting the grain in brine, and then roll
ing it in lime. If this is properly done
it kills the seed of the rust without in.
juring the grain.