[Pboc. Eoy. Soc. Victoria, 21 (N.S.), Pt. I., 1908] 



Art. \.— 0n the Lovgevity of Seeds. IujILIBRARY 



By ALFRED J. EWART^ D.Sc, Ph.D., F.L. 



Government Botanist and Professor of Botany in the 

 University of Melbourne. 



With an Appendix hi/ Miss Jean White, 3I.Sc. 



(Published with the permission of the Hon. G. Swinburne, M.L.A., 

 Minister for Agriculture). i 



[Eead 12th March, 1908]. 



Probably few sections of human knowledge contain a larger 

 percentage of contradictoiy, incorrect and misleading observa- 

 tions than prefvail in the works dealing with this subject, and, 

 although such fables as the supposed germination of mummy 

 wheat have long since been exploded, equally erroneous records 

 are still current in botanical physiology. In addition there are 

 considerable differences of opinion as to the causes which deter- 

 mine tilt- longevity of seeds in the soil or air. The works of de 

 Candolle, Duvel and Becquerel are the most accurate and com- 

 prehensive dealing with the question, and in addition Vilmorin 

 has published very useful data in regard to the seeds of culinary 

 vecjetables. The subject is still, however, in an incomplete and 

 fratimentaiy condition. 



Shortly after my arrival in Melbourne, in a locked cupboard 

 received from the late Prof. McCoy's old Natural History depart- 

 ment, two large packages of named seeds were found, including 

 over 600 different sorts. The packets were all numbered and 

 named, and accompanied by a list, dated 1850, and marked 

 " Seeds of Kew." The paper, however, of the list and packets 



1 With the aid of a special grant from the .Vyrieultiiral Department. 



