135 



effect of a 1 : 100 solution was tested. The results were as follows : — 



Strength of corrosive sublimate 

 solutio t. 



Percentage of seeds germinate 1. 



76 



74 

 83 

 78 

 81 

 43 



= 7-3 



= 65 



= 7t 



,2 



The 1 p^'r cent, solution thus had a marked effect in reducing the 

 percentage of seeds that germinated. 



A third series was started to test the effect of steeping the seeds, 

 drying them and then planting at different intervals. The seeds were 

 all soaked in a 1 : 500 solution of corrosive sublimate for one hour, on 

 March 23. The results were : — 



A. Seeds planted immediately, 



percentage of seeds germinated 



B. Seeds dried, plant d April 6 (after 14 days), 



percentage of seeds germinated 



C. Seeds dried, planted Apil 13 (after ^1 days), 



percentage of seeds germinated 

 1). Seeds dried, planted April 20 (after 28 days), 

 percentage of seeds germinated 

 It is evident, thi-refore that, so far as the effect on germination 

 goes, it is irama'teiial whether the sev>ds be planted immediately after 

 being steeped or dried and plauied at any int^^rval afterwards, 



III. In St. Vincent. 

 Extract from a Report by the Mycologist, 8fc , to thu Imperial Commid- 

 sioiier of Ag'iculture for the West Indies. 



Imperial Department of Agriculture for the West Indies, 



Barbados, May 17, 1904. 

 Sir, 



I have the honour to sub;iiit herewith, a report on my recent visit 

 to St Vincent 



2. At the Cotton Factory I inspected the proc ss adopted for steri- 

 1 zing cotton s ed as reported by Mr. Sands. The proce-s ensures that 

 the seeds aie thorough!}' wetted by the corrosive sublimate solution. 

 The drying platform of the factory forms an excellent place for drying 

 t e seeds alter they are drained. The whole of the seed has now been 

 sterilized. 



3 With regard to the swelling of th ■ seed and the effect on germi- 

 nation, I found that the swelling was chiefly in the cracked and bro- 

 ken seeds. To make certain that the swelling did not indicate any 

 loss in the germinating capacity, I asked Mr. Knowles to test the ger 

 mination of samples of both treated and untreated seeds. Of the 

 treatel seeds, 89^ and 90 9^ germinated, of the untreated, 92^. It 



