256 



Series A — Concluded 

 Table 4. 



Golden Eagle Corn, immersed in kerosene Feiruary 6, 1906. Trial 1 was made 

 July 11, 1911. The others followed as the time of the kerosene treatment indicates. 

 Soil SOfc saturated. 



3. TYPES OF ABNORMALITIES 



In soils of 50 and 75% saturation, abnormally swollen grains oc- 

 curred frequently. A watery fluid collected inside the membranes in 

 considerable quantities. By slight pressure several drops could be se- 

 cured from a single grain. Microscopical examination of the ex- 

 tracted liquid showed the presence of both perfect and corroded starch 

 grains. Occasionally in the 75% saturated soil this liquid seemed to 

 undergo fermentation. The pericarp, in these instances, was ruptured 

 and the accumulated liquid made its way to the surface of the soil 

 where it spread out and, drying, formed a hard white crust. Exami- 

 nation of this crust under the microscope showed corroded starch 

 grains and a large number of bacteria. The bacteria were of uniform 

 shape and size and apparently belonged to a single species. Swellings 

 as above described occurred among the grains w^hich had failed to 

 germinate and among those which were growing normally. They 

 were also occasionally found among the normal grains used as a check, 

 but much less frequently than among the treated grains. From the 

 observations made, there was nothing to indicate that the swollen con- 

 dition had any bearing on the germination or growth of the corn. 



