TWENTY-TIIIRD ANNUAL MEETING. 135 



days elapsed before they were counted out of the same. No grains, therefore, were in- 

 cluded in the non-germinating lot except those that really belonged there. 



The first germinations in the ground were unsatisfactory, on account of the 

 drouth that prevailed in early summer, and were wholly abandoned. But later tuey 

 were repeated, and their number can be seen by consulting the tabulation. In the 

 second set of trials the germinations were not entirely satisfactory, due to climatic 

 -and other conditions. 



In many cases the grain was soaked, previous to treatment, from a few to 22 

 hours, in water of the ordinary temperature at that season of the year. The exper- 

 iments show, in each case, that water of the higher temperatures decreases or de- 

 stroys their germinative power much more quickly than in case of grains not thus 

 thoroughly soaked. For example: In case of immersion of five minutes in water 

 at a temperature of 70° C. ( 158° F.) the germination (of the white variety in the 

 tester) was 98 percent.; and when previously soaked 8 hours (as well as for 22 hours) 

 it was zero-^i. e., in the latter case not a single grain germinated. 



The difference in favor of non-soaked corn, however, is obliterated when the 

 comparatively low temperatures obtain — as seen in the tabulation opposite 58° C 

 ( 136.4° F.), etc. 



Numerous control experiments were made at the same time with grains not 

 heated with hot water. The results of these (combined) are shown in the last eight 

 lines of the table. 



Owing to the large size of the grains it was impracticable to iise more than about 

 50 in each trial, yet the four or six repetitions (with different varieties) for each 

 degree C. and the wide range compassed, namely, 8Si (199° F.) down to 56° C. 

 (132.8° F.), partially compensate for the probable variation in percentage of ger- 

 mination for so few grains taken. 



It will be noticed that a very high degree of temperature, e. g., 88A° C. (199°^F,), 

 usually kills less than half of the seeds when the immersion is prolonged to 20 sec- 

 onds. 



An immersion of one minute in water at 81° C. (177.8° F.) kills comparatively 

 few grains, but if previously soaked 18 hours all are killed. 



An immersion of three minutes, to be comparatively harmless, must be in water 

 at or less than 76 or 75° C. (168.8° to 167° F.). But here, as above, it is fatal if the 

 grain has been previously soaked for several hours. 



An immersion of five minutes, to secure a result approximately similar to the 

 last, must be in water at 73° or 72° C. (163.4° to 161.6° F.). 



The immersion can be prolonged, without detriment to the ( previously dry) seed, 

 ten or fifteen minutes provided the water is at a temperature of about 59° C. 

 (138.2° F.), or less. 



Similar trials with wheat and oats, carried on in connection with work of the 

 Experiment Station of the State Agricultural College, show that these grains endure 

 approximately the same temperatures with similar results. Besides, immersion of 

 the seeds of these two cereals in water at a temperature of about 57° C. (or 134° 

 F.), proved to be an efficient fungicide for wheat smut and oat smut. 



The general results with the varying temperature and time of immersion, as well 

 as the generally poorer germination in the ground than in the tester, can easily be 

 seen from the table which here follows: 

 —6 



