Account of a botanical excursion to the Mull of Cantyre, and the island of Islay, in August, 1844 / by J.H. Balfour.

  • Balfour, John Hutton, 1808-1884.
Date:
1845
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Account of a botanical excursion to the Mull of Cantyre, and the island of Islay, in August, 1844 / by J.H. Balfour. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    sporules. Proper draining will probably prevent the attack of ergot. Ergot injures the quality of the flour, and cases are detailed in which the use of diseased rye has caused dry gangrene. The disease is not, however, peculiar to rye. It occurs in many grasses. Professor Henslow has observed it in wheat in Suffolk ; and in the district in which he saw it, it is stated that about a century ago several cases of poisoning occurred from diseased wheat. Our party observed ergot in considerable quantity on Anthoxanthum odoratum, and on Phalaris arundinacea. The former grass is very abundant in many parts of the island, and is well deserving of cultivation. Besides the ergot, we noticed the disease in oats, caused by a species of uredo, and com- monly called smut. In many fields the disease was very prevalent. It is said to be prevented by steeping the grain in stale urine, and afterwards sifting lime on it. A solution of salt, and a weak solution of sulphate of copper, have also been employed. August 19tk—The day was very unpromising, and thick mist and rain set in about seven o’clock a.m. Nevertheless, four of the party started in a conveyance for Portnahaven, while the rest went to Bal- lagrant Loch to fish. The south-western shores of the island, as far as Portnahaven or the Rhins, are low, gravelly, and occasionally rocky, and consist chiefly of clay-slate, with greywacke slate in alter- nate beds. Gneiss is met with in some parts of the shore, especially between Octafad and the point of the Rhins or Rinns. These shores produced few plants of interest. Geranium pratense was noticed near Port-Charlotte, and in a neglected garden at the same place we observed profusion of Papaver somniferum of a pink colour, with dark spots at the base of the petals, similar to what occurs in Papaver Arge- mone. The same variety was picked by Dr. Parnell at Ballagrant. At Portnahaven there is a lighthouse on an island close to the shore, and there are other islands in the neighbourhood. The tides in this quarter, more particularly at the point of the Rinns, are very violent and rapid, and it is interesting to notice the agitation which is caused even by a moderate degree of wind. On arriving at Portnahaven, the weather was so bad and the rain so heavy, that two of the party did not choose to quit the conveyance, and accordingly they proceeded directly to Kilchearan, and there enjoyed the hospitality of Mr. Ralston until the other two botanists met them. Proceeding along the western shore of the Rinns from Portnahaven we encounter a very rugged and rocky coast, intersected by numerous indentations, and broken up by narrow ravines into which the sea enters with great violence. Fine caves and gigantic natural arches occur in many places. The prevailing rocks are clay-slate and greywacke, with occasional trap dykes of considerable extent. In some places, as at Losset Hill, we met with a peculiar kind of conglomerate. Near liosset, which is a fishing village, the cliffs are remarkably fine, attain-