SEEDS WEEDS. 755 



28° C, or a soinewhat longer period at a lower temperature. Among other legu- 

 minous plants, the seeds of which are not characterized as hard, immersion in concen- 

 trated sulphuric acid was injurious except when applied for a comparatively few 

 minutes. Ordinarily leguminous seeds which belong to species that are characterized 

 by the occurrence of hard seeds are resistant to the action of sulphuric ai-id. In all 

 the experiments with leguminous seeds treated with concentrated sulphuric acid the 

 germination of the hard seeds was effected and a more rapid and uniform si>routing 

 wa.>^ secured. In order to secure the l)est results from treatment with sulpliuric acid 

 the seed should be rejjeatedly washed to secure the elimination of the acid and 

 planted immediately. If the seeds are left to dry the advantage secured by the 

 treatment is lost. In experiments with seeds of lotus, suUa, etc., it was found that 

 30 parts sulphuric acid to 70 of water gave results which were equal to those secured 

 by the use of concentrated acid. Upon such seed as suUa, bird's foot clover, meli- 

 lotus, black medick, etc., it was shown that concentrated sulphuric acid not only 

 secured the greater total germination but appreciably hastened it. 



Experiments in which hemp was treated with sulphuric acid showed the germina- 

 tive i)Ower was always diminished Vjy the immersion. Seed bolls of beets showed no 

 injury, even when the immersion was prolonged considerably beyond the time neces- 

 sary for the destruction of the fungi which are contained in the seed boll. This fact 

 can be made use of in disinfecting beet seed before planting. Sulphuric acid showed 

 itself injurious upon the seed of all cereals experimented with. It was found that 

 the seed of various grasses, if submerged for 2 or 3 minutes in concentrated sulphuric 

 acid, had their glumes attacked to such an extent that the effect produced upon 

 germination was decidedly favorable. Cuscuta seed showed that they were not only 

 resistant to the action of sulphuric acid, but their germination was in many cases 

 favored by the treatment. The seeds of Flanlugo lanceolata, verbena, Rumex, spurry, 

 foxtail, and .some others which frequently occur in red-clover seed were all destroyed 

 l)y a brief immersion in the sulphuric acid, without any detriment whatever to the 

 red-clover seed. 



Seeds of commercial saltbushes, G. N. Collins ((/. *S'. Dept. Ayr., Dlrixian of 

 Jiuldiii/ liul. J7, pp. ^S, pli<. iV). — Illustrated descriptive notes are given of the fruit and 

 seed charac'ters of 23 species of Atriplex. On account of the increased interest in 

 the saltbushes this study was made to determine, if possible, some means for the 

 definite recognition of the different species by seed characters. 



The duration of vitality in the seeds of Castilloa elastica, W. R. Tromp 

 i)K Haas ( TcijsnKimtia, 1,' {lUOl), Xo. 7-S, jip. 44^-444). — A note is given of the results 

 of keeping seeds of Castilloa in charc(jal powder, in earth, and in a vacuum. The 

 seeds in chari-oal germinated 80 jier cent after 4 weeks, while all but 5 per cent of those 

 kept in earth for the same time had lost their vitality. The seeds kept in a vacmiiu for 

 4 weeks were all dead. — n. m. pieteks. 



Some factors in the germination of seed, C. Sa.io {Prometheus, 12 (1901), Ao. 

 581!, pp. J.ii}-2.S8). — An account is given of experiments with a number of kinds of 

 seeds of perennial plants, and it is believed that in addition to heat, light, and 

 moisture, other factors are to be considered, i)romin('nt among them the action of 

 ))acteria. 



Germination in distilled water and the poisonous effect of copper solutions, 

 P. r. Deiiek .iix and \\. Democssv {Aim. Ai/ron., ..'7 (IHOI), Xo. II, jip. .'i'h)-559, 

 fu/K. S) . — An account is given of experiments made by the authors to determine the 

 effect of <listilled water on the germination of seed, and also the poisonous inlluence 

 of traces of copper. This paper has been j)reviously noted from a summary piililished 

 elsewhere ( K. S. R., 13, p. 143). 



Seed testing-, T. W . Kikk (AVh? Zniland I>epf. At/r. Rpt. I'.ioi, pp. .i^ii-.U!)).— 

 During the period c(nere<l l)y the report about 400 samjiles of farm see<ls were exam- 

 ined by the author. The jjurity and germination of the different varieties of seed 



