206 Alfred J. Ewart: 



majority of smaller seeds the palisade layer was observed to be 

 quite intact, whilst the cuticle had been in some cases wholly, 

 but in the greater number of cases partially, dissolved away by 

 tho acid. 



But it was different with the larger seeds ; for sections <if the 

 seed coat cut after swelling showed that the palisade tissue was 

 eaten away by the acid, and ordinarily it was practically all gone. 



Before and during swelling, almost without exception, a mem- 

 brane peeled off the seeds, which in the smaller seeds appeared 

 to be the cuticular layer only, and in the larirer consisted of the 

 palisade cells and tho very inconspicuous cuticle. 



The most resistent seed of all those which I tried was that of 

 Adansunia Gregorii. Professor Ewart found that his specimens 

 swelled after 6 'hours soaking in sulphuric acid, but in the case of 

 a different sample with which I experimented, immersion in acid 

 for that period nf time produced no perceptible effect whatever. 



The actual results of my experiments have been put down in a 

 tabular form, and the accompanying figures represent sketches of 

 the sections of the seed coats of one species of each genus of 

 most of the seeds used. 



* In practically all oases the time of immersion can be doubled or more than trebk'<I 

 without appreciable injury to the seed, the subsequent swellinu- in water bein;jr naturallv 

 more rapid. 



