SEEDS— WEEDS. 759 



vitality of the embryo and the amount of humidity sufficient to secure 

 the dissolution and transportation of the reserve material in the seed, 

 and in this eontril)ution he makes a preliminary report on the relation 

 between these 2 factors. The amount of moisture normally in seeds 

 and the amount present as shown by evaporation in vacuum of a num- 

 ber of seeds is gi\en, and the transformation of the reserve materials 

 in vye, peas, and white lupines is shown. 



In conclusion the author states that all his observations tend to 

 show the preponderating role of diastases in the preservation and 

 development of seeds. Those causes which retard the alteration of 

 diastases also maintain the germinative power, and it is believed pos- 

 sible to indelinitely prolong the vitalit}" of seeds by placing them under 

 conditions in which the diastases are rendered absolutely inactive. One 

 of the most important factors in this is the presence of moisture, all 

 traces of which must be removed for the prolonged preservation of 

 seed. 



The effect of calcium hydrate upon germination, R. Windisch 

 {Lanchv. Vers. Stat., 5J^ {1900), jSTo. 3-Ii,, pp. 28S-309).— The effect of 

 soaking seed of various kinds in water containing from 0.172-1: to 5 per 

 cent of calcium hydrate, as shown in their germination, is reported. 

 The seeds experimented with were wheat, barley, rye, oats, maize, 

 rape, flax, blue and white lupines, chickpea, fodder vetch, soy beans, 

 and horse beans. Equal lots of seed were soaked for the same time 

 in distilled water and the germination of the 2 lots compared. The 

 results, which are tabulated, show that wheat was uninjured by any 

 of the treatments and the other cereals not to any appreciable extent. 

 In some casesthe germination of theVeed soaked in the lime solutions 

 was retarded and with some seeds the total germinations were consid- 

 erably reduced. This seemed to be especially true with the lupines, 

 hemp, fodder vetch, horse beans, and soy beans. 



Charlock spraying, T. H. Middleton ( C%w. Col. Wales, Aheryj. 

 stvnjtJi, Agi'. iJejA., Ann. Rpt. Field Expts. 1899, pp. Jf3, 4.J1,; Bd. Agr. 

 \Lond(yii\, ]i2)t. Agr. Education and Research, 1899-1900, pp. 89, 90). — 

 An account is given of sprajdng experiments for the destruction of 

 charlock in a field of black Tartarian oats. Copper sulphate solutions 

 in 1.5 and 2.25 per cent solutions were employed at the rate of from 

 38 to 70 gal. per acre. A few days following the spraying, the oats 

 had a brown tint and seemed to have suffered especially from the 2. 25 

 solution. A fortnight later the unsprayed plats were ii mass of yellow 

 bloom, but on the sprayed portion but few weeds were to be found and 

 the oats, instead of having been injured, appeared to have been dis- 

 tinctly benetited by the treatment. From4he success which attended 

 this experiment the author feels warranted in recommending such 

 treatment for the destruction of charlock and gives directions for its 

 proper application. 



16106— No. 8—01 5 



