ERGOT SEARCH IN SOUTHLAND

Southland Times, Issue 24601, 25 November 1941, Page 4

ERGOT SEARCH IN SOUTHLAND

FUNGUS ON MARRAM GRASS The opportunities for Southland children to gather ergot during the summer will not be considerable, according to information obtained yesterday from officials of the Department of Agriculture. An appeal has been made to New Zealand by the British Government for ergot, which is urgently required for the treatment of wounds. Before the war supplies of this valuable substance were obtained chiefly from the mainland of Europe, but at a time when they are most urgently needed the source has been cut off. The present appeal is for ergot from tall fescue and marram grass. That variety of fescue is not grown to any extent in Southland, but marram grass is found in considerable areas at the frontage to Oreti Beach and it is probable that fair quantities will be gathered there. Ergot is a fungoid disease of grasses, attacking the seed and replacing it with a leathery elongated growth, black on the outside and white within. A warning has been given to those who will collect the fungus not to confuse it with smut, which is similar in external appearance. Smut is black all through, while ergot has a whitish, cheesey centre. GOOD RETURNS Before the war ergot was collected in European countries mostly by children, and it has been suggested that in the New Zealand effort children should do the work of gathering the fungus. The rewards to be obtained are attractive and children operating in favourable areas should be able to earn substantial sums. For clean, unbroken, dry ergot 8/- per lb will be paid and prices down to 4/- per lb will be paid for broken grains mixed with chaff. The seed heads should be gathered and dried quickly and the ergot carefully cleaned from the sample. Southland farmers have for many years been aware of the existence of ergot in ryegrass seed heads and substantial quantities of the fungus have been removed from the seed in machine dressing. Ryegrass ergot is not being sought in the present appeal, and the only opportunity for collection of the fungus will be in marram grass in the coastal areas. The seed heads on the grass are now appearing and could probably be gathered next month.