Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-04-06
FUNGI.
IT., Its. I IriurIou. Effects to Vegetation.

....-,-- - F"AN oeOp duO one WHICH
MARKS progress in the agricultural ed
ncatlon OF community when an aud
renee composed chiefly of farmers, can
pauently SIT for two hours and listen
70 a lecture like the one delivered at
the recent meeting of the Connecticut
state Board of Agriculture, by DR..
byron ID. Halstead, upon injurious fun
81 something has been kno Sn of this
class of vegetation for long time, but
the number is yet very small, both in
this country and in Europe who have
any very extended knowledge of this
department of botany. DIR. Halstead
Is a graduate of the Michigan Agri-
cultural College, has pursued course
of studies at the Bussey Institution,
and has made a special study of bota-
ny under Prof. Farlow, of Harvard
College, and is fully competent to talk
about fungi with justice TO his subject
and credit to himself.
The term fungi includes a multitude
OF species, varying in size from the
largest toadstools to plants so small
that $4,000 could be placed in a row
one inch in length. The fungi include
those plants which have neither leaves,
stem, roots nor seeds. They have no
chlorophyl in their tissues, nor are
they in any way organized like seed
bearing plants, but are simply bundles
of cells bound together in a mass.
They are purely parasitical, drawing
their sustenance from material pre-
viOusly organized, having in themselves
no power of feeding upon mineral mat
tiers in their raw state. Those who
would like to study fungus will not
have to look far or long for specimens.
The blue mould on cake, bread and
cheese, the mildew on cloth, rust on
wheat and oat straw, the smut on corn
and other grain, the mould on boots
that have been set away in damp clos
cts, the mildew on grapes, the rot on
potatoes, the puff balls and toadstOols
of the fields, are only different species
of fungi. Fungi are also present in
all the ensilage in our silos, in the
black knot of the plumand cherry tree,
and are getting fl T too common upon the
leaves and fruit of our peach, pear and
apple trees.
proper, it has very minute thread-like
feeders, composed of simple cells,
placed end to end, which extend them
selves through the tissues of other liv.
ing or dead plants and feed upon their
substance. These threads are called
the mycelium, which is the true vege-
tation of the plant and which gives
rise TO the reproductive bodies at once,
or builds up receptacle which con.
tains them. Some forms of fungi are
palatable, as the edible mushrooms,
while others are extremely offensive
and in some instances deadly pois
onous.
The ergOt of rye or spurred
rye, so called because Of its re-
sernblance to the spur of a cock, is
used in medicine. but is an active pois-
on If taken in large doses, and in some
countries has caused great loss among
cattle that have eaten it. Ergot also
grows upon grasses as well as upon rye,
and abortion often follows its develop
ment in pastures and moving fields. 1t
is, however, confined to the heads of
plants, and pastures which are closely fed
can not produce the ergot grains, which
are nothing else than seeds changed by
the presence of the fungus plant. 1t is
abundant in moist seasons, and also
more often found in the moist climate
of Europe than in America. If its
presence is suspected in a pasture,
moving the grass just before it seeds
will prevent the formation of the ergot,
and thus prevent all danger to cattle
feeding upon it. The early cutting of
hay and rowen would also prevent its
formation in meadows.
The potato rot is also the work of a
fungus plant, which first makes its ap-
pearance in the form of a white or
frost-like appearance on the under side
of some Of the leaves, spreading thence
over the plants till it destroys both
vines and tubers. 1t was fist known
In the years 1912 and 1S41, both in
Ireland and the United States. and
caused very great loss to planters in
this country and created a famine
abroad. 1t is usually noticed be-
tween the first and middle of
August, and always in damp OF
the leaves first. the crop may be saved
by harvesting just as soon as the frosty
appearance of the leaves is seen. The
potatoes should be put in cool, dry
place to prevent the further growth of
fungi. Planting early varieties which
ripen in July is pretty sure prevent
i've, as the disease is confined in its
attack chiefly to growing vines. 1t is
well, however. to burn or otherwise
destroy all affected vines and tubers.
to prevent the spread of the fungus.
Attempts have been made to produce
potatoes which shall be proof against
the disease, but thus far with indiffer-
ent success, for, though certain varie-
ties may for while appear to be dis
case proof, yet they succumb after a
few years growth in localities where
the rot exists. The English farmers
think they have learned to avoid the
rot by planting pure. clean seed in new
land, ard by manuring in the autumn