726 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



solutions and then in pure water lose weight, their final weight being the 

 same as it would have been had they been placed directly in pure water. Seeds 

 placed in normal sulphuric acid, decinormal iodiu, and decinormal sodium 

 chlorid produce no concentration of these solutions. 



These facts are held to prove that there is no semipermeable membrane in 

 bean seeds until germination begins, when the cell protoplasm acts as such, 

 and that there is no difference in absorption between living and dead seeds 

 until after germination. The forces concerned are capillarity and imbibition 

 in the initial stages and osmosis after germination. 



Carbon dioxid may be detected with living seeds or with those killed by 

 cnloroform, the evolution of the gas being noticeable in less than 2 hours after 

 the air-dried seeds have first been moistened. 



The temporary suspension of the vitality of certain seeds, P. Becquerel 

 (Vompt. Rend. Acad. Set. [Paris], U8 (190U), Xo. l(j, pp. 1052~105J,) .—The 

 author gives an account of an experimental demonstration of the complete 

 arresting of the vital function of seeds without impairing their germinative 

 ability. In the experiments a number of mustard, alfalfa, and wheat seeds 

 were dried at a temperature of 40° C. for 6 months, placed in small glass tubes 

 from which the air was exhausted, and later submitted for 3 weeks to the 

 temperature of liquid air, followed without any warming by a 77 hours' im- 

 mersion in liquid hydrogen at — 253°. The seeds were then taken from the tubes 

 and germinated on absorbent cotton at a temperature of 28°. 



All the seeds of mustard and alfalfa germinated in a few days, and 4 out of 5 

 of the wheat grains did likewise. It seems that the protoplasm retained its 

 vitality in the absence of moisture and oxygen, in vacuum, and at temperatures 

 approximating absolute zero. 



The green coloring' matter of the inner seed coats of certain plants and 

 its relation to chlorophyll, N. A. Montevekde and W. N. Lubimenko (Izv. Imp. 

 St. Petersh. Bat. Siida [Bui. Jardiii Imp. Bat. St. Pctcrsh.], 9 (1909), No. 2-3, 

 irp. 27-^^, figs. 5). — Studies have been made of the green coloring matter found 

 in the seed coats of many plants. 



Out of nearly 900 species representing 110 families of plants, 18 families were 

 found to show the green color in their seed coats. Among the families thus 

 characterized the cucurbits were found to be conspicuous, and the nature of the 

 coloring matter has been investigated. In the cucurbit seeds the green color 

 begins to show late in the development of the seed, in fact often not until the 

 seed has attained almost normal size. Studies of the alcoholic and ether 

 extracts showed that the coloring matter is similar to protochlorophyll in etio- 

 lated leaves. Under the influence of light, green coloring matter in the living 

 cells of the seed coats may become transformed into chlorophyll. 



On the nature of anthocyanin. Miss M. Wheldale (Proc. Cambridge Pltil. 

 Soc, 15 (1909), Xo. 2, pp. 137-168; abs. in Jour. Chem. Soc. [London], 96 

 (1909), No. 561, II, p. 60Ji). — Investigations have been made on the coloring 

 matter of plants, the studies including a large number of species. 



The author concludes that chromogens which are pale or deep yellow in color 

 are of the nature of the flavone and xanthone classes of natural coloring mat- 

 ters, and are widely distributed in plants and commonly found in connection 

 with the pink, purplish-red, and purple series of anthocyanic pigments. These 

 chromogens probably exist in the plant as glucosids. Recent work of Palladin 

 is said to indicate that chromo'gens of an aromatic nature are widely dis- 

 tributed and are able to produce i-ed and purple pigments when acted upon bj^ 

 peroxydase in the presence of available oxygen. 



Experiments in crossbreeding plants have shown that for the production of 

 anthocyanin two bodies are essential, an aromatic chromogen of the flavone 



