676 



Selby : Germination of Seeds 



lots of seeds consisted of 10 to 25 seeds of each species for germi- 

 nation in soil and tester. 



The manner of immersion was by sudden approach of the seeds 

 from room temperature to that of immediate, complete and pro- 

 longed immersion beneath the liquid air, the seeds the while being 



* 



contained in the gauzy cotton, which we may designate " sudden 

 transition/' or by gradual approach of the seeds into nearness with 

 the liquid air followed by the complete immersion therein and 

 similar gradual withdrawal, " gradual transition." 



Summarized, the treatment of the several lots was as follows : 

 By sudden transition : 



One lot 6 hours' immersion under liquid air. 



One lot 12 hours' immersion under liquid air. 

 By gradual transition : 



One lot 24 hours' immersion under liquid air. 



One lot 48 hours' immersion under liquid air. 



Save the seeds of maize, no apparent change occurred as a re- 

 sult of the low temperature to which they were subjected. The 

 kernels of maize cracked badly, showing that the hardened endo- 

 sperm could not withstand the stress imposed. It was curious to 

 observe these germinate with fragments of the endosperm missing. 



Table I 



Germination Percentages of treated and untreated Seeds on Filter Paper 



Name of Seed 



On ob rych is sativa . 

 MifJTbsa pit diva, 

 Pifius sylvestris. 

 Ilelianth us ann u us . 



Guciftnis sativus. 

 Seafte cere ale. 

 Ti'tficum sativum. 

 Tu m usitatissim um 



ZeTMays. 

 RTcinus communis. 

 LtTpinus luteus. 

 Chenopodium album. 



Untreated 



Orig. Seeds 



Immersed in Liquid Air by 

 sudden Transition 



(0 



d 



"3 



en 

 CO 



6 hours 



8 



14 



en 



in 



en 



CO 



in 



*T3 





en 



cS 



op 





12 12 



34 40 

 16 18 



858585 



28 60 80 80 



75 



en 

 >. 



-a 



M 



VI 



12 hours 



ro 



CN 



en 



en 





en 



-3 



Immersed in Liquid Air by gradual 



Transition 



Ov »0 



10 



25 



90 

 60 



34 



4 



90 



66 



38 

 12 



90 

 66 



90 90 90 90 100 100 100 100 





92 92 92 92 

 84186,86 86 



Not tested. 





. . 



<< 



a 



a 



<< 



a 



96 

 80 



96 

 82 



96 

 82 



80 



53 

 9 



4 



24 

 20 



86 



96: 



82 



* 



Not tested. 



a 



<< 



a 



<t 



i i 



. - 



76 



86 



73 73 

 96 96 



92 92 



84 84 



5050 

 60 60 



12 76 



