378 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



BOTANY. 



Report of the botanical department, J. C. Arthur {Indiana J^ta. 

 Bpt. 1893, pp. 18-21). 



Synopsis. — Report on the deviation of development due to the use of iinripe seed, on 

 the reciprocal relation between the vegetative and reproductive parts of a plant 

 under varynig conditions of growth, and report of successful treatment of pota- 

 toes with corrosive sublimate for scab. 



Experiments and observations have been conducted since 1S89 on the 

 use of innnature tomato seed for the purpose of increasing earliness and 

 productiveness. 



During the winter of 1892-'93 plants were grown in the greenhouse 

 from seed taken from half-grown fruit. Comparisons were made with 

 plants grown under the same conditions from mature seed taken from 

 the same parent. Comparing the resales obtained in these experiments 

 with observations made in previous years, the author concludes as 

 follows : 



"The principal deviations arising from the use of immature seed are: (I) A loss 

 of vigor, shown in the smaller percentage of germinations, weakness of the seed- 

 lings, and greater number of plants which die before maturity; (2) failure to recover 

 lost vigin, although the jtlauts may, and usually do, ]>roduce an abundant harvest, 

 and one acceptable to the cultivator; (3) the increase of reiu'oductive parts in jn-o- 

 portion to the vegetative parts, resulting in a greater number of fruits and seeds 

 (although individually smaller) and more rapid ripening than in similar plants from 

 mature seeds.' 



It is seen from the above that greater productiveness and earlier ripen- 

 ing of the fruit from immature seed is secured at the expense of the 

 weakened plant. Whether sufticient vigor of plant can be secured by 

 this method to make it profitable in commercial gardening is yet to be 

 deter muied. 



Bearing somewhat on the same subject the author investigated the 

 reciprocal relation between the vegetative (leaf, stem, and root) and the 

 reproductive (seed and fruit) parts of plants under varying conditions 

 of growth. The generalization is reached that: 



'"A decrease iii nutrition of an organism favors the development of the rejiroduc- 

 tive parts at the expense of the vegetative parts.' The decrease in nutrition maybe 

 bro " 'ht about hy poor soil, bad tillage, slow germination, etc., all leading to the 

 same general result. But it was pointed out that while partly starved plants are 

 as a rule proportionately more productive, t. c, per unit of vegetative part, the 

 reverse is true of plants grown from large and small seeds, for 'large steeds produce 

 stronger plants with a greater capacity for reproduction than small seeds of the same 

 kind.' These conclusions, which are supi)ortod by experimental data, strongly 

 emphasize the necessity of using only the largest seeds (that is, screening out and 

 discarding the small seeds) for sowing, in order to secure not only the largest yield 

 ol gram and fruit, but also to retain the vigor and permanency of the race under 

 hiah tillage. " 



