372 



Journal of Agriculhiral Research 



Vol. XIX, No. 8 



Table IV. — Effect of 6 hours' presoaking followed by fonnalin I : 400 treatment on 

 germination of wheat seed — Continued 



1 Result from one pot only, the other having been overturned. 



For each variety of wheat used the result is the same — a marked de- 

 crease in retardation and injury to germination where the presoak method 



PERCENTAGE OF GERMINATION 



20 30 40 50 60 70 



80 



Fig. 2. — Graph showing efiect of formalin i to 200 treatments with and without presoaking: A, control, 

 untreated; B, seeds soaked in formalin i to 200 for 10 minutes, drained, and kept moist (covered) 6 hours, 

 dried ovemisht, and planted; C, seeds soaked in Vt-ater 10 minutes, drained, and kept moist (covered) 6 

 hours, then soaked in formalin i to 200 for 10 minutes, drained, and kept moist (covered) 6 hours, dried 

 overnight, and planted. Records of germination were taken on the sixth day after planting in the green- 

 house. 



of treatment was used, as compared with the 6- or 12-hour formalin treat- 

 ment without presoaking. In the case of the three varieties most sus- 

 ceptible to formalin — -Bluestem, Preston, and Marquis — germination 

 of the presoak-treated seeds is within 6 to 9 per cent of the controls, 

 while there is a reduction of 20 to 21 per cent in the seeds treated without 

 presoaking. The other six varieties show practically all injury elimi- 

 nated by the presoak treatment. The relative appearance of controls, 

 treated plants, and presoak-treated plants on the sixth day is shown in 

 Plates 70 and 71 . A very noticeable stimulation in vigor was observed in 



