44 



THE VITALITY AND GERMINATION OF SEEDS. 



the summer of 1900 the maximum temperature at Wagoner, Ind. T., 

 was 107° F. (41.1° C), while that of Lake City, Fla., was 103° F. 

 (39.5° C). If these points are kept in mind, it is not at all surpris- 

 ing to find that seeds lose their vitalit}^ within a few weeks or m^onths 

 in warm, moist climates. 



In order to make the above facts more clear the preceding table has 

 been summarized and is presented in the following condensed form, 

 showing the relation of the water content of the seed to vitality: 



Table XI. — Marked deterioration in mtal'dij vnth an increase in the qnantiiy of the water 



content of seeds. 



■ How preparations were made. 



Control sample 



Closed bottles, sealed with parafBn. 

 Do 



Do 

 Do 

 Do 

 Do 



Amount of water 



introduced into 



the bottles. 



cc. 



Water expelled. 

 None. 

 0.5 

 1.0 

 2.0 

 3.0 



Average in- 



erea.se in 



weight as a 



result of the 



greater water 



content. 



Per cent. 



0.06 

 .08 

 1.75 

 3.24 

 .5.91 

 8.13 



Average 

 moisture in 

 seeds at the 

 time germi- 

 nation tests 

 were made. 



Per rent. 

 6.07 



«2.77 



6.55 



8.31 



9.91 



12.75 



15. 10 



Average 

 germina- 

 tion. 



Per cent. 

 93.3 



«93.9 



94.0 



91.7 



83.3 



67.5 



58.6 



a Peas not included in this set. 



Numerous other results of a similar character might be cited, but it 

 hardl}' seems necessary' at this time, since there can be no doul)t that 

 moisture is the prime factor in causing the premature destruction of 

 vitalit}^ in seeds in the usual conditions of storage. Why they lose 

 their vitality as a result of the unfavoral)le conditions is quite a differ- 

 ent question, and has to do with the ver}^ complex composition of the 

 seed. 



A COMPARISON OF METHODS OF STORING AND SHIPPING SEEDS 

 IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEM FROM MOISTURE AND CONSE- 

 QUENTLY TO INSURE A BETTER PRESERVATION OF VITALITY. 



SUGGESTIONS OF EARLIER INVESTIGATORS. 



As early as 1832, Aug. Fjr. De Candolle'' wrote a chapter on the 

 conservation of seeds, in which he said that if seeds })e protected from 

 moisture, heat, and oxygen, which are necessary for germination, 

 their vitalit}^ will be mucJh prolonged; moreover, that if seeds are 

 buried sufficiently deep in the soil, so that they are protected at all 

 times from the ver}' great influence of oxj'gen and moisture, their 

 vitalit}' will be pres^erved for a much longer period. 



«Physiologie Vegetale, Paris, 1832, Tome II, p. 618. 



