THE STRUCTURE OF THE SEED 29 



" During such time as the seed is under treatment it is 

 raised to a potential much higher than that of the air, but 

 upon removal from the bath and in the course of drying all 

 or nearly all of the added charge must be given off. As well 

 •expect a Leyden-jar to retain its charge after the inner 

 •coating had been " earthed." 



" In what way, then, is the treatment beneficial ? 



" I did not know, until a long series of experiments had 

 T3een carried out. The first fact of importance to be demon- 

 strated was that the effect of electrical stimulus continued after 

 disconnection of current, and the second that such stimulus 

 tended to advance the develo'pment of the embryo plumule, 

 radicle and cotyledons. 



" Subsequent investigation satisfied me upon both these 

 points and made it evident that as an actual result the 

 seeds were rendered far more uniform in the matter of 

 development than they were before treatment, and that 

 the percentage of loss to which I have referred should be 

 largely avoided. 



" In other words, the effect of the process is to mature 

 the seed. 



** I have before me a paper (Annals of Applied Biology, 

 Vol. VI., No. 1), by Drs. Kidd and West upon " The Influence 

 of the Physiological Condition of the Seed upon the Course 

 of subsequent growth and upon the Yield," in which it is 

 .suggested that treatment of seeds in water as well as in 

 solutions of various acids and salts beneficially influence 

 the final yield. That is quite possible. Anything, so long 

 as it is not injurious to the seed, which lowers the resistance 

 of the seed coat prior to sowing would be helpful. There 

 is nothing new in it. Some seeds, such as those of the canna 

 and bamboo, by reason of the hardness and density of the 

 seed coat, are invariably soaked in water for forty-eight 

 ■or more hours. But not only must they then be sown at 

 once, but the physical structure of the seed is not in any way 

 affected hy immersion in non-electrified solutions, except that 

 bulk may be slightly increased by swelling. Too prolonged 

 immersion may also interfere with the resistance of the 

 Jfibroid or lipoid inner layer, to the detriment of the seed." 



