428 



BOTANICAL GAZETTE 



[JUNE 



plain that the distance the valve is to be opened will vary with 

 different seeds, but will not be at any time particularly hard to 

 determine. With valve b closed, there was no difficulty in getting 

 the seeds down into the air tube; with it open they would be 

 blown out at d. 



The opening at // is five-eighths of an inch in diameter and will 

 accommodate seeds of sweet peas, lupines, Lathyrus, honey locust, 



/<M^ 



Fig. i. — Apparatus for increasing the germination of hard-coated seeds by blow- 

 ing them against a bank of needle points. 



etc. When smaller seeds are to be treated, an attachment with 

 three-eighths inch feed, valves, and air tube can be adjusted readily. 

 Valve g can be used to regulate the pressure, as read on the pressure 

 gauge/. 



Tests were made of treated and untreated seeds, on filter paper 

 kept moist with distilled water, at a temperature of 23-25 C. The 

 results are summarized in table I. 



