F. KiDD AND C. West 



225 



his results in the following words: "Die ErtrJige in deni Girade steigen, 

 als das Saatgut reicher an ReservestofEen ist, oder mit anderen Worten, 

 die Verletzungen, welche die Reservebehalter der Samen treffen, in 

 dem Grade ihres Umfanges das Produktionsvermogen der Pflanzen 

 schiidigen. Das relative Produktionsvermogen der Pflanzen im unge- 

 kehrten Verhaltnisse zur Menge der Peservenahrung des Saatgutes 

 steht." 



Tahle ir. 



The seeds were first allowed to swell in water and were then divided into three 

 groups, viz. (i) seeds from which f of the cotyledons or endosperm was removed, 

 (ii) seeds from which ? of the cotyledons or endosperm was removed, and (iii) seeds 

 which were not treated (= controls). The seeds were then sown in plots which 

 were 4 sq. m. in area, a distance of 20 cm. being allowed between the seeds. 



* If the number of plants actually present at the harvest be taken into consideration, 

 the differences in yield become much greater. 



The results of these German agriculturists do not appear to have 

 attracted much attention. Some thirty years later a number of French 

 workers (Delassus, Dubard and Urbain, and Urbain) turned their 

 attention to the same subject. These investigators were not working so 

 directly from the economic point of view and their results, while con- 

 firming those of the earlier German workers, enter into greater details, 

 and we may profitably describe the results obtained by them. 



E. Delassus (7) experimented with beans, vetches, and lupins, new 

 seeds of the same origin, and, as far as possible of the same weight, being 

 selected. These seeds were soaked in water for 24 hours, after which 

 treatment they were divided into four lots, viz. : 

 Lot I. Entire seeds (= controls) ; 



