502 ME. J. It. LAWES, DE OILBEET, \M> DE PUGH OS 



decomposition, though less foul than those from the whole seed and 100 cub. cent, 



Water. 



The following Notes, taken al different times during the experiments, will Lndii 



the stages of growth, or decomposition, through which tin ic mat:. 



passed. 



March 16. 



Wheat (a) — Seeds, in Soil with 50 cub. cent, water. — Came up some days later than the 

 corresponding Barley a; has not grown so rapidly; lias kept green for a Longer period ; 

 and is yet growing healthily, though much crowded in the small bottle. The air pa - 

 ing from the bottle has not the odour of decomposing organic matter. There is a alight 

 mould on the soil due to a few seeds which did not grow. 



Wheat (b) — -Seals, in I'umice with 100 cub. cent, wider. — The Pumice in this case I 

 covered with water to the depth of about one-fourth of an inch, and a few grains floated 

 in the water. In a few days the air drawn through the bottle gave the odour and taste 

 of decomposing organic matter. At the end of about a month the free water on the 

 surface began to disappear rapidly, and in a short time it was all gone, leaving a grey 

 mouldy coating of organic matter over the top of the pumice. This disappearance of 

 water was too great to be due to simple evaporation in the air passed through the appa- 

 ratus. It was doubtless consumed in the process of decomposition — a view which 

 receives confirmation from our experiments on the nature of the gases evolved during 

 decomposition. 



Wheat (c) — Meal, in Soil with 40 cub. cent, water. — Gives little indication of decompo- 

 sition by the air which passes from it. Compared with Wheat b, the difference in this 

 respect is very marked. 



Barley (a) — Seeds, in Soil with 50 cub. cent, water — Came up soon after being put in, 

 grew rapidly, and in five weeks had grown to the top of the bottle, a height of about 

 5 inches. By the end of February the bottle was quite filled with green vegetable 

 matter, and up to that time no odour of decomposition was distinguishable in the air 

 which was passed through, but from that date the leaves became yellow, and decompo- 

 sition has been manifested both by appearance and the taste of the air. 



Barley (b) — Seeds, in Pumice with 100 cub. cent, water. — Progress almost exactly similar 

 to that of the corresponding Wheat (b) described above. 



Barley (c) — Meal, in Soil with 40 cub. cent, water. — Very like the corresponding 

 Wheat (c) above. 



Bean (a) — Seeds, in Soil with 50 cub. cent, water. — Came up a week after sowing. 

 The sprouts pushed several seeds out of the soil, yet they have continued to grow up to 

 the present time, lying upon the surface. At first there was a natural development of 

 leaf and of roots ; but soon the latter took a remarkable course, coming through the 

 surface of the soil and extending through all parts of the bottle, mingling with the 



