22 GERMINATION 



charged through the roots, stems and venation, and positively 

 by the air through the aerolse of the leaves, so that in the 

 roots, stems and venation the tree or plant has its negative 

 and in the aerolae its positive terminals. There is, in fact, 

 an ordinary electrical circuit, i.e., air to earth, and earth, 

 through the plant, to air. 



It is well-known that the vegetable cell is practically 

 identical with the animal cell and that the phenomenon of 

 division or reproduction is common to both. In at least 

 one respect a seed does not differ from either vegetable or 

 animal cell, i.e., it is a potential Leyden-jar, Furthermore, 

 as the foetus has no separate and independent existence 

 but is dependent upon the maternal blood-stream, so the 

 immature seed in its pod is supported by the parent tree, 

 and even as the cell cannot reproduce itself without elec- 

 trical aid, so the seed cannot germinate or be said to live as 

 a seed until its electrical structure is completed and it is 

 able to receive and retain charge. 



The following sketch is of a young edible chestnut in its 

 pod, cut in section : 



The letters a, a, represent a white, pithy substance, 

 positively charged by the air ; 6 is an inner insulating 

 membrane enveloping the seed substance, c ; and d, an 

 outer insulating membrane. The negative terminal con- 

 nects with d, and is the battery wire from the earth, while 

 c is a moist and markedly acid layer surrounding the seed- 

 substance, e ; this, it will be seen, lies between the two 

 membranes b and d. The seed-substance itself also contains 

 an acid secretion. 



