Dec. 13, 191S Translocation of Constituents of Seeds and Tubers 451 



were placed round perforated porcelain plates, similar to those used in 

 desiccators, on top of which were placed two circular pieces of blotting 

 paper which had been treated with dilute hydrochloric acid and washed 

 free from chlorids with distilled water. Small lamp wicks connected 

 these blotters with the water in the bottom of the dish, so that they 

 would remain moist during the period of germination. Just previous to 

 placing the beans between the blotters the entire apparatus was steriUzed 

 by heating at 180° C. for two hours. 



The germinated beans were transplanted to test tubes which had been 

 carefully parafifined inside and in each of which was placed a plug of cotton 

 about half an inch from the top and held in place by a small amount of 

 paraffin. The cotton was the purest we could obtain and was treated 

 with dilute hydrochloric acid and washed with sterile distilled water until 

 no test for chlorids could be obtained. This cotton gave practically no 

 ash when incinerated. 



In beginning this experiment i ,400 perfect beans were selected, cleaned 

 with a damp cloth, and divided into two lots of 700 each. These lots 

 were labeled "A" and "B," respectively. The 700 beans labeled "A" 

 were placed in a flask and covered with 95 per cent alcohol containing 20 

 per cent of formalin and allowed to stand for 20 minutes. The beans were 

 then drained and washed free from alcohol with sterile distilled water. 

 The alcoholic drainage and washings were evaporated to dryness and 

 saved for analysis, being labeled "11" in Table I. The beans were now 

 transferred to the sterile germinating dishes described above and placed 

 between blotters, care being taken that the beans did not touch each 

 other. Throughout the germination of the beans sterile distilled water 

 was added in just sufficient amounts to keep the beans moist. Germi- 

 nation started at once, and the small radicle appeared in from two to 

 three days and in some instances was half an inch in length by the end 

 of the fourth day. As soon as this stage was reached, the integuments 

 were removed from the cotyledons with sterile, platinum-tipped forceps, 

 care being taken not to bruise the cotyledons nor allow dust or dirt to 

 come in contact with them. The integuments were preserved and labeled 

 "9" in Table I. The seedlings were then transferred to paraffined test 

 tubes K^ by 6 inches, the seedlings being held in place with a small quantity 

 of sterile cotton. The test tubes were filled with sterile distilled water, 

 which was replaced as fast as it was removed by the plant or by evapora- 

 tion. The seedlings began to grow immediately, putting forth roots and 

 plumules. Some of the beans on germinating proved to have imperfect 

 cotyledons; these with a number which had been bruised during the 

 removal of the integuments were discarded, so that at the end of the 

 experiment only 609 seedlings had been allowed to mature. This number 

 furnished the material for analysis. 



