ERGOT ON CEREALS AND GRASSES.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 301, 16 April 1874, Page 2

ERGOT ON CEREALS AND GRASSES.

The caution occasionally given against the use of green, ryt as- fodder for breeding stock receives additional justificatioa from the experiences lately recorded in the correspondence columns of tbo Mark Lane Express. Of all coreals rye is, perhaps, trulj said to be the most frequently affected by the parasite familiarly known as ergot. The power of ergot to produce abortion has been taken advantage of Uy the medical profession, and, as supplies are more readily obtained from rye than from any other plant, ergot of rye is the medicine generally employed. It is not our province to enter into the u«es of ergot in obstetric medicine ; our concern is with the efftfi-t ot ergoUed crops upon breeding stock, mud we think there is good foundation for the belief that the parasite is in certinn itiwuns more generally prevalent than in others, and that it is the common but unsuspected cause of abortion in cows and mares. In some of the moistet? diftrists of England, many iarmers are averse to sowing ry»-grass, not alone on account of its being botanicully allied to wheat,, and, therefore, a bad precursor of that cereal, but because of its liability to become affected by ergot at the close of summer in tho CTent of cool, moist weather occurring.' In the ftutuina of lust year (1573) the parasite appears to have abounded not only on rye, but on wheats, ohiefly on the bearded or rivebt varieties. In South America, maize is commonly affected by ergot, and in England last autumn ergot was very prevalent on rye-grass. Although, owing perhaps to the comparative aridity of our climate, especially during the harvest morths, our wheats are not likely to bo affected by this dangerous, parasite, it must be remembered that our winter*, during which rye is grown, are not so devoid of moisture as to justify the assumption that we enjoy immunity front the danger. In the cooler districts, where rye-grass- i« generally, grown, ergot it also likely to occur under certain, conditions of weather ; therefore, whenever cases of abortion occur amongst the live stock, the pastures should' nt once be cnitienlly. examined, with a view to determine whether the parasite be present or not. 'In Essex,' s«ys a correspondent of the Express, ' several brood mares have cast their foals, and some have died from eating grass affected with ergot.' But very lately the same writer had seen fine specimens of the parasite on wheat ; and he thinks this should be known, because, if ergotised wheat is ground and used as flour for human beings, the consequences may be very serious. Flour partly, made ol ergotted rye, ' baked in bread, has caused many fataL and distressing epidemics in the north of Europe. On quadrupeds its use is followed by emaciation, palsy of the hind legs, and extreme debility. Mules in South America lose their hoofs and hair when being fed on ergotted maize ; and hens which have ergotted rye mixed with their food lay eggs without shells, owing to its excitement of the oviduct.' The other correspondent \oi the Express, who dates from Reigate, and who keeps a large stock of Jersey cattle, recounts numerous losses of calves from abortion between July and October, both in 1872 and 18^3, which he has been enabled distinctly to attribute to ergotted rye-grass in his pastures. Morton's Enct/lopcßdia contains a v. arning on this subject, and so also dens Wheeler's pamphlet on grasses ; indeed, a* we have said, farmers generally in rooMi distucts are alive to the danger,, and adopt the precaution of keeping their breeding stock off pastures in which rye-grass is prevalent. That this colony is not free from similar danger we are assured hy the occurrence of parasites — such as rust, smut, and bunt — which require similar conditions of weather for their development. The presence of ergot in the rye crop has also been reported, and were that cereal more commonly grown, ergot would be likely to m&lte its appearance on the other crops which it is said to affect. The occurrence of a new parasite on rye grass in the Ballarat district will be fresh in the remembrance of our readers ; and we may here remark, to the credit of our young department of agriculture, that the novelty is very accurately described and delineated ia the first volume of the department's transactions. Lone; as ergot has been known to- English agriculture,, it is only now that steps are being taken by the Tloyal Agricultural Society of England to have its nature, causes, and effects'scientifically ascertained. The society's chemist and botanist are about to inquire into the matter, and their repoit will possess mucb. interest for readers on this side the globe as well as for those for whose benefit it will be specially written.