The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-06
ped and colored succulent pIsn,s

~ ped and colored succulent plants
VIII: abound 10 our woods and meadows
and are known under the common names
Of toad stOols, mushrooms and puff-balls.
Bcs how many arc there that know that
all forms of rust, smut, mildew and mould
are produced by the growth of similar
group Of plants, only much smalier in
size? Many Of this latter clnss 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 epecies is immense. The aues.
tion naturally arises, "Of what use are
these plants Of this low order of growth f'
Some we know are beneficial, while many
Others are injurious. A large number of
tho mushroom family are edible, some of
the puff.balls are used for staunchipg the
flow Of blood, but by far the most valua-
blc dpecies are those which produce fer
ments in the manufacture Of liquors.
Every housewife knows shat in making
bread yeast in some form is added. This
yeast is nothing but 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
pies Of the most injurious kinds of fungi.
These are all very destructive to vegesa-
ten. A kind CT inildew attacked the
grape vines in France and at one time
spread over nearly the whole country,
causing great lory and suffering. The
history of the "potato ror in ireland
furnishes ano or illustration of the
powers of funG. 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.
Ii we take 9 common puff.bald and
press it In The hand we observe q cloud
OF dust rising from it. This dust is its
seed. or " is called spores. One ball
may produce millions of these spores.
Rust and emut, 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 ii higher plants, consists of large
number Of minute, delicate threads, in.
tertwining, and often unitino one to the
other by means Of laters 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. Thesa 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, 80 that in short time a 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 -rying through the
winter the spores which produce the
rust. Sometimes rust is more abundant
and sometimes smut, depending upon the
conditions favoring the termination oi
the spores. The remedy for smut and
the seed. The spores may be killed by
wettinS the grain in brine, and then roll.
ing 1t in lime. If this is properly done
1t kills the seed of the rust without in.
juring the grain.