Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-01-09
THE CoREsrALK DISEASE


Mr.. 7. G. Geneden, Arlington, ky.i
i~nclosesa clipping from a recent Issue
of the Republic, containing the report
Of the State Veterinarian, Of Illinois,
on what he designates the 'Cornstalk
Disease This, he says, is the effect
OF an invisible, though very poison.
Gus, fungus on the blade and stalk Of
corn in tie autumn, which deyelopes
with~ exceeding rapidity, and, II eaten
IN any quantity, causes speedy death
TO both cattle and horses. No rem
edy has as yet been found, and the
only means O. prevention is TO restrain
stock from the range Of the fields.
Corn that has been cut and shocked
may be safely fed in reasonable guam
| titles, as 1t has not been known TO be
infected with this fungus. So much
for the report. II is not entirely con-
elusive, though based on seemingly
careful observations.
II Is undoubtedly true that In the
fall. as o o as stock is turned into the
corn fields from which the grain has
been husked, there is, taking the
country over, considerable loss, both
of horses and horned cattle. This has
been attributed TO various causes.
Many farmers are confident that IL is
due to the poisonous eggs OF a species
of l~ong-horned grasshopper, which are
often deposited in the stems Of the
tassel Others, with better reason, at
tribute IL TO the smuts and other
fungus to which the stalks and leaves
are liable, or to the irritation produc-
ed by the hard and brittle covering OF
the latter. In a majority Of cases the
sickness and death Of the animals are
due simply TO indigestion from eating
too greedily of the dry fodder. Horses,
also, are frequently killed by feeding
upon the immature ears, though these
are said never to injure in the least
any kind Of horned cattle.
That there are several species Of
poisonous fungus which develop upon
cornblades and stalks has been demon
strated. One Of these, known as
"white mold" taspergillus glaucus
which has been carefully studied
by Prof. V. X. Chestnut, OF the United
, States Department Of Agriculture, Il
said to terminate and grow within
the tissues Of the animal body witt
very serious If not fatal results. Case
of what are called ''blind staggers'
have, however, been observed In cat
~tle-ranging cornfelds, which were due
not to any poison, but solely to TIN
packing OF the stomach and intestine
with the hard, dry, iibrous stalks ant
blades, which produced not only tn
intestinal distress, and serious braiI
disorder, both Of which symptoms dis
appeared when, by means OF surger'
and other methods, the system was re
lieved. One Of the smuts, tustilag
maydIs) has been known TO prove fata
when eaten in considerable quantity
/. by the simple fact Of expansion OF th
: spores, by which the digestive cana
was DISTRACTED.
Mr.. Geneden asks: OWN freezln
kin the poisonous fungl9 And II
field is infected, how long will 1t col
n tinue to be unsafe9n 1t is lmpossibI
to answer the second OF these que
tions, but 1t is certain that freezin
a does not destroy the vitality Of an
fungus germs affecting growing veg
/. tation. Mycologists are CONSTANT
studying and experimenting upon II
= furious fungi and will no doubt befol
long be able TO tell US how to prever
and how to destroy them.
lie In the meantime the prudent FARM
will cut and shock his corn fodder al
is feed it sparingly in the beginning; 0
If this is not convenient, he viii tul
his stock into the field for but a vel
II short time at first, gradually increa
ing the number Of hours Of feedir
IS until they become accustomed to Il
feed, and excluding them entirely
any i'll effects are indicated.
MARY e. MURTFELDT.
KirkUond Mo