GERMINATION OF THE SEED 



179 



Materials.- -The seeds may best be germinated in wooden 

 boxes in chopped Sphagnum moss ; a greenhouse at a day 

 temperature of 70 is best, and without bottom heat, which 

 makes the roots too slender. These seeds can also be grown 

 easily in the Wardian case (see page 85). Lima Bean and 

 Morning-glory grow faster than the other two, which must be 

 planted two or three days earlier. Six to eight days will bring 

 them into good condition ; the best state is that in which the 

 hypocotyl and root are about one to two inches long. The 



FlG. 16. Box with sloping glass front for germination of seeds. X\. 



germinating seeds should, of course, be given alive and grow- 

 ing to the students ; hence they should be planted in many 

 small boxes, one to as few students as possible. After many 

 trials I have adopted the following plan : wooden boxes are 

 used, of the shape and size shown in Fig. 16, eight inches long 

 by six wide and five deep, painted for preservation, and with 

 one sloping side of glass slipped into a groove and protected 

 above by a strip of wood ; the four kinds of seeds are planted 

 in chopped Sphagnum, in as different positions as possible, 

 eight of each kind in each box. The Lima Beans are planted 



