EMBRYO, SEED AND CARPEL IN THE DATE. 149 



only a small amount of oil in the embryo was noted by 

 du Sablon, but he observed also notable quantities of sugar 



398). 



j already explained 



sperm 



be 



cutting of freehand sections. 



ent to anyone at a glance that this explanation is the true 



one. 



mbry 

 materials derived from the endosperm 



em 



which are not immediately used by the growing 

 are reformed into oil and starch. This explanation was 

 applied by Sachs to starch. It is evident that the presence 

 of a "notable proportion of sugar" was regarded by du Sablon 

 as the part equivalent of the oil. My own contention is that 

 the oil found in the embryo is derived from the water-soluble 

 materials, derived from digestion of oil, and which, upon 

 entrance into the epithelium of the embryo, are not removed 



by 



ither there or elsewhere. In support c 

 ping additional evidence is advanced: 

 ;erminating seedling, the extra-seminal 

 s two millimeters long (figure 25) the 



oil in the endosperm in front of the end of th 

 which alone at this stage is haustorial in nature, was pro- 

 ceeding. There was, however, no trace of oil to 



be 



m 



that flanking the cotyledon, opposite endosperm cells in 

 which no digestion is going on. The distribution of oil is 

 shown in figure 25 by the stippling. 



same 



but in the parenchyma beneath the epithelium 



is starch to be found. In a somewhat 



mm 



must ensue upon the accumulation and reduction of oil, which doubt- 

 less occur during relatively short periods of time. In examining liv- 

 ing material, Reed further speaks of numerous large granules all of 

 which react to protein reagents, but does not indicate that other re- 

 agents were employed. The subject of Reed's study is admittedly 

 peculiarly difficult, and for this reason it is all the more important 

 that the appearances of the cells in question should be explained only 

 after taking all the substances occurring in them into consideration. 



