208 INFLUENCE OF OXIGEN ON GERMINATION. 



Hence it clearly appears, that as this difference can be re- 

 ferred only to the diverfity of the veflels, that is to fay, to the 

 different furface which the veffels in which the feeds had been 

 placed expofe to the air, and to the different quantities of 

 under circum- water in which they had been immerfed ; or, in other words, 



ttances favour- + ,, i. w r , „. 



able to its ab- to the difference of the action or influence exerted by the 

 fbrption of oxi- oxigen contained in the atmofphere upon the water : gerrrii- 

 nation cannot even commence without the immediate contact 

 of vital or oxigen air; provided, however, that the water in 

 which the feeds are immerfed be in a condition to become 

 changed with the oxigen> which is neceffary to effectuate fifth 

 a function. It cannot be doubted but that water powerfully 

 attracts a large quantity of oxigen from the air ; it has a nVorg 

 avidity for this principle, and becomes abundantly loaded with 

 it. M. de Gleichen and Senebier had obferved that the feeds 

 of peafe, when placed in too large a quantity of water, periflied 

 without germinating, but they had given no accurate expla- 

 nation of the fact. 

 Recapitulation. I have thus eftablifhed two effential facts relative to ger- 

 mination, which, to the beft of my knowledge, had not before 

 been pointed out. Vital o* oxigen air is neceffary to the grand 

 procefs of germination ; but in order to give the impulfe or 

 the principle of this germination the immediate contact oftfie 

 air is not neceffary, but it is indifpen fable to its continuation 

 or progrefs; iince the germen already animated, or the fmall 

 plant-, cannot grow nor vegetate, unlefs it be in a ftate to 

 enjoy the immediate influence of this vital fluid. Ingenhoqfz 

 ' had only aflerted in general terms, that the contact of oxigen 

 is neceffary to the germination of grains or feeds; but fome- 

 thing more particular was ltill wanting. 

 Repetition of I have repeated the fame experiments upon the feeds of 



"t^oTh" 18 ' barley, hordeum vulgare ; of beans, viciafaba ; lupines, lupinus 

 plants. albus ; and have obtained the fame refults : hence we may 



conclude that the above-mentioned inferences are applicable 

 to the feeds of all terrtftrial plants, that is to fay, fuch as fow 

 themfelves upon the dry ground, 

 Seeds of aquatic As to the feeds of aquatic or marfh plants, it appears, that, 

 plants germinate both for the commencement and for the continuation of ger- 



and grow by the . . . , . ,.,.,, . 



combined oxigen mination, the oxigen which is combined with the water is 



of water. fuliicient, without the concurrence of free oxigen, as we fee 



that they germinate, and afterwards grow very well, under 



thq 



