GERMINATION OF SEEDS. 599 



ent species, and (iii.) the physiological reaction between 

 seeds and different poisons. The first case presented two 

 aspects : (i.) that in which the poison exists in the seed 

 and passes into the seedling by a ' kind of heredity,' there 

 being no interruption of the poisonousness of the plant, 

 and (ii.) that where the poison exists neither in seed nor 

 seedling, but is formed later. For the study of the first 

 aspect, Agrostemnia Githago and Cytisiis labiirmnn were 

 chosen, yielding respectively saponine and cytisine. To 

 obviate the objection that the poison did not penetrate, the 

 integument was always removed throughout the research. 

 Neither ' death ' of the seeds nor retardation of their ger- 

 mination occurred. For examination of the second aspect, 

 Nicotiajia tabacimi and Papaver somiiiferum were used ; 

 the former yields nicotine in the leaves, the latter opium in 

 the capsules. Two experiments on different lines were 

 arranged with nicotine ; the first proved that, without 

 actual 'death,' germination was retarded : the second 

 showed that germination cannot occur, or with great diffi- 

 culty, in a medium impregnated with nicotine. Curiously 

 enough it was found in the case of. Papaver, that opium 

 excites the power of germination. The isolated action of 

 the best-known opium-alkaloids was then tried ; these were 

 morphine, narcei'ne, codeine, papaverine, narcotine and the- 

 baine, all as hydrochlorates. Narcotine, codeine and nar- 

 ceine acted as opium ; morphine and thebaine seemed 

 indifferent, whereas papaverine had an inhibitory action. 



In the study of the second of the above-mentioned 

 cases, the action of oleandrine from Oleander and andro- 

 medotoxine from Azalea was tried ; these, highly poisonous 

 to man, were here in most cases inoffensive. It is in- 

 teresting to note that Pliaseoliis vulgaris (haricot) was un- 

 affected by oleandrine, but retarded in germination by 

 andromedotoxine. Colchicine proved harmless in several 

 cases, but affected Phaseolus vtilgaris seriously ; similarly 

 with cytisine. This plant is thus seen to be extremely 

 sensitive to toxic agents, and Cornevin correlates this 

 sensitiveness with that to cold, which precludes its cultiva- 

 tion in northern countries. This sensitiveness is, however, 



