Apr. IS, 1920 Effect of Solution Reaction on Germination and Growth 89 



dishes in which had been placed porcelain plates of such size as to pre- 

 vent submersion of the filter paper in the solution except at the periphery 

 of the dish. At the beginning of the experiment 20 cc. of the proper 

 solution were added to each dish, allowed to stand 10 minutes, poured 

 off, and replaced with 20 cc. of fresh solution. This was done in order 

 to guard against change in concentration due to adsorption of solutes by 

 the filter paper. The number of seeds germinated in each dish was as 

 follows: alfalfa, 40; red clover, 50; corn, 10; soybeans, 10; wheat, 25. 

 To avoid the effect of individual variation the dishes were triplicated in 

 the test with corn and duplicated in the test with soybeans. The solu- 

 tion was renewed on all dishes every other day. The dishes were kept 

 at room temperature for seven days, at which time a germination count 



Wheat 



Soybeans 



Corn 



Red C/ot/ef _ 



A/fa/fa 



4 5 6 



React J on as P^ 



7 



Fig. s- — Graphs showing the relative weights of sprouts produced by seeds of wheat, corn, soybeans, 

 alfalfa, and red clover in 7-day germination period at various reactions. 



was taken and the green weight of the sprouts determined. The weight 

 was taken for the entire seedling of the legumes, but the seeds were ex- 

 cluded in weighing the wheat and corn. 



The number of seeds germinating in each culture and the average 

 weights of the sprouts from lo seeds are given in Table VI. The relative 

 green weights of sprouts, based upon the largest weight taken as lOO in 

 each instance, are shown plotted against the reaction of the cultures in 

 figure 5. 



