10 STOKAGE AND GERMINATION OF WILD KICE SEED. 



(8) Seed submerged in water in a galvanized-iron bucket and stored 

 on the roof of the laboratory })viilding, as in No. 7. In this case the 

 water was not changed save to replace the loss due to evaporation. 



(9) The conditions for No. 9 were the same as those for No. 8, 

 except that air was forced into the water dailv when not frozen solid. 



Samples of seed were taken from the different lots and tested for 

 vitality at irregular intervals throughout the time of storage, which, 

 in the former series, extended over a period approximately thirteen 

 months and in the latter series over a period of little more than six 

 months. 



Experimeyits Nos. 1 and 5. — The seed w^hich was submerged in water 

 and stored in the "chill room" showed no deterioration in vitality. 

 The results of the tinal tests gave a germination varying from 79.8 to 

 88 per cent. This is practically Nature's method of preserving the 

 vitality of the seed during the Avinter. 



Experiments Nos. 2 and G. — The seed which was submerged in 

 water and stored at a temperature of 12^ F. was all killed liefore the 

 spring following the date of storage. Soon after being placed in stor- 

 age the water was frozen solid and the seeds were embedded in a mass 

 of ice, in which condition they remained throughout the experiment, 

 a portion being cut out from time to time for germination tests. The 

 complete loss of vitality in these two lots of seed is attributed not to 

 the freezing directl3% but to the thorough desiccation as a result of 

 the continuous low temperature. 



Experiments Nos. 3 and Jf. — The samples of seed w"hi(;h were stored 

 in cloth bags at the temperatures of 32° to 34° F. and of 12° F. had, 

 for all economic purposes, entirel}' lost their vitality. The average 

 percentage of germination, as shown by the 37 tests made from each 

 of the two lots, was less than live-tenths of 1 per cent. 



Exj>eriment No. 7. — The seed which was submerged in water and 

 stored on the roof of the laboratory building, the water being changed 

 daily, showed a good percentage of germination when the last vitality 

 tests Ave re made. If onh" a small quantity of seed is desired for the 

 spring planting and cold storage can not be readily secured, good 

 results may be obtained b}" this treatment; but it is much less certain 

 and probabh' more expensive than keeping the seed in cold storage, 

 and for this reason is not recommended. The success of this method 

 will likewise depend largel}' on the temperature of the water. 



Experiments Nos. 8 and 9. — On April 22, 1905, samples taken from 

 each of these two lots of seed showed a marked deterioration in vitality. 

 Thoroughly mixed samples from No. 8 showed a vitalit}' of only 58 

 per cent, while No. 9 had deteriorated to 1-1.3 per cent. 



