t>n the f^italUy and Life ofG^rmi, ' 247 ' 



fervcd in all the tubes a more rapid germination ; I faw the 

 feeds in the tranfparent tubes become equally yellow, but 

 afterwards they began to putrefy without any further figrl 

 of vegetation : on the other hand, tlie feeds contained iii 

 the tubes darkened by the plate of lead became yellow alfo J 

 but, afluming afterwards a darker c()lour,f they in a little 

 time became green, threw out roots, expanded their coty- 

 ledons, and appeared in full vegetation. As the fmallnef^ 

 of the tul)es did not permit them to expand more, as foon as 

 they filled the whole capacity of them they ceafed to ve-' 

 getate. 



The different dcrrrees of veo-etation to which thefe feeds 

 attained, lliowed that light may have an influence on the 

 feeds of vegetables, though deditute of nervous fubftance ; 

 but, that I might be fully convinced of this fa6l, I proceeded 

 in the following manner: 



I put fomc feeds of lupines and chick-peas, frepd from 

 their hark, and in a (late of germination, into two bot- 

 tles, furniflied at the bottom with a little tow moidened 

 with water. I removed from the coated bottles a little of 

 their varnifh on one fide, in order that, being illuminated in 

 that parij I might be aWe to obferve through the aperture 

 the vegetation of the feeds without being obliged to take 

 th«m out. 



The feeds at firfl: continued to vegetate equally in the two 

 bottles, and to throw out roots ; but I foon obferved that the 

 extremity of the fmall roots of the feeds contained in the tranf- 

 parent bottle began to alTume a colour more and more dark, 

 and they at length putrefied altogether. As fome expanfionof 

 the germ of the plant took place at this period at the ex- 

 penfe of the cotyledons, and as the latter were moiflCned, it 

 happened that the expanfion of the germ did not totally 

 ceafe, though it was very How. The principal root even 

 threw out fome fmall toots: but- they foon rotted with the 

 rod ; fo that, after having languilhed fome time, the vegeta- 

 tion ceafed altogether. 



In the varnidied bottle the cafe was difierent : all the feeds 

 vegetated completely, fent forth numerous roots in the ttnv, 

 and only two feeds gave any fign of putrQfa<Slion at the ex« 

 , 8 trcuiitv 



