374 Journal of Agricultural Research vo1.xix,no.8 



Table VI. — Effect of 6 hours' presoaking followed by formalin i : 320 treatment on germi- 

 nation of wheat seed under greenhouse conditions 



Treatment. 



Control 



Formalin i : 320 for 10 minutes, drained, covered 



6 hours 



Formalin i : 320 for 10 minutes, drained, covered 



12 hours • ■ ■ 



Water for 10 minutes, covered 6 hours, formalin 



I : 320 for 10 minutes, drained, covered 6 hours. . 

 Actual soaking in water 5 hours, formalin i : 320 



for 10 minutes, covered 7 hours 



Actual soaking in water 4 hours, formalin i : 320 



for 10 minutes, covered 6 hours 



Average percentage of germination. 



Poole. 



Exp. 



XI. 



94 

 66 

 67 

 90 

 88 



Exp. 

 XII. 



85 

 55 

 71 



79 



Aver- 

 age. 



90 

 61 

 69 



79 



Fife. 



E-Kp. 



XI. 



79 

 59 

 58 

 80 



77 



Exp. 



xn. 



83 

 62 



64 

 90 



85 



Aver- 

 age. 



81 

 61 

 61 



85 

 77 

 85 



10 



PERCENTAGE OF GERMINATION 



20 30 40 50 60 70 80 



Fig. 3. — Graph showing effect of formalin i to 320 with and without presoaking: A, control, untreated; 

 B, seeds soaked in formalin i to 320 for 10 minutes, drained, kept moist (covered) 6 hours, dried overnight, 

 and planted; C, seeds soaked in water lo minutes, drained, kept moist (covered) 6 hours, soaked in formalin 

 I to 320 for 10 minutes, drained, kept moist (covered) 6 hours, dried overnight, and planted. Records of 

 germination were taken on the sixth day after planting in the greenhouse. 



A marked retardation and diminished germination is shown by both 

 formalin treatments without presoaking. The 6-hour formaUn treatment 

 preceded by 6 hours' presoaking yielded plants similar to the controls in 

 percentage of germination, and they were very evidently stimulated, as 

 shown in Plates 74, 75, and 76. Actual soaking in water did not appear 

 to be so beneficial to the vigor of the seedlings as the procedure of 

 merely keeping the seeds moist for 6 hours before treating with formalin. 

 (See PI. 75, fig. 3.) 



