Britain Wants Ergot From N.Z.!

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 63, Issue 5, 15 November 1941, Page 397

Britain Wants Ergot From N.Z.!

How Country People Can Help A Most Worthy War Effort

tiiiiiiuiiiiliuiiiiiiiiiniinl By

J. C. NEILL,

Field Mycologist, Plant Diseases Division, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research

A WONDERFUL opportunity is open to country people living near swampy areas to help in a most worthy war effort — collection of ergot—and, incidentally, to tap this hitherto neglected source of personal and national income. Ergot is a fungoid disease of grasses; that attacks the seed, replacing it with a leathery, elongated growth, black on the outside and white within. (See Fig. 1.) < Care should be taken, however, not to confuse smut disease with ergot. Smut disease, particularly of prairie grass (see Fig. 3) is sometimes collected in mistake for ergot. To test, break the black mass in half. If it is black all through and leaves a black powder on the fingers, then it is smut and valueless. Ergots break cleanly , and show a whitish, cheesey centre. Ergots are common on many grasses throughout New Zealand, but the largest and most valuable occur on tall

fescue—-a grass which flourishes profusely in swamp areas all over the North Island and in many places in the South Island. Marram, cocksfoot, and water-grass are also good sources of ergot. From ergots there is extracted a drug that is of the utmost value, in maternity and in the treatment of wounds.

Value as Medicine

Before the war supplies of ergot were obtained -by British and American manufacturing chemists from Central Europe, Hungary, Rumania, Spain? and Russia, where they were collected, mostly fey children, from crops of ryecorn. Now, of course, these sources of supply are cut off, and, just when the need is greatest for the treatment of

wounded soldiers and air-raid victims, a great scarcity has arisen. The Imperial Government has asked New Zealand to send all possible supplies for urgent requirements. Many tons of first quality ergot go to waste every summer in the swamp areas of New Zealand. Ergot is worth just now up to Bs. a pound in money value, but is worth infinitely more in terms of human lives and suffering. It is obviously the duty of everyone who has the opportunity to , collect every pound for despatch to Britain.

How to Collect Ergots

The collection of ergots is very simple, and can well be done by children during the Christmas holidays, as the ergots ripen in January. It is probable that the fastest method would be to work in teams, as for cocksfoot seeding, cutting the tall fescue heads with a sickle, ' and subsequently collecting, threshing, and winnowing. The ergots should not be broken or damaged in any way, as this detracts very much from their value. They are very easily' parted from the seed head, especially if the - latter" is allowed to dry somewhat, so that a light blow with, the grass-head across a horizontal

piece of wood should usually suffice and give the minimum amount of seed to clean out afterwards. Careful cleaning for market is essential, as the final sample must be quite free from seed, straw, or rubbish—that is, it must consist of ergots only.

It is very important to dry the cleaned ergots quickly and thoroughly either by spreading out in the wind and sun or inside. Ergots should never be packed to send away while any dampness remains. When dry, they should be packed in airtight tins or other suitable containers and consigned to any grain, seed, and produce merchant in the district, who will assess the value according to quality and condition, and return a cheque for the value. For good quality, wellcleaned ergot 8s a pound will be paid or 6d. an ounce.

Although ergots are poisonous if swallowed in any quantity, they are perfectly safe to handle in collecting, threshing, and packing.