66 



GERMINATION 



However, removal of the seed 

 coat explained the mystery. The 

 plumule — meeting perhaps with some 

 obstruction, such as a stone, in the 

 soil had curved inside the seed coat 

 and first descending had made a 

 complete volte face to the surface. 



/vfJJ 



So that after all it differed in 

 no respect from its predecessors, 

 except that owing to the necessity 

 for the curve the growth of the 

 plumule was abnormal ; its length 

 being proportionately much greater 

 than that of the radicle. 



Seven days after inspection of the above I selected a plant, 

 the seed of which had been potted apex downwards and 

 which had put forth several additional leaves. 



Upon stripping the seed coat 

 the two halves of the seed fell 

 apart and revealed nothing new 

 except that the bands or collar 

 had grown more into the seed 

 substance and that there seemed 

 a line of demarcation between 

 the top of the radicle and the 

 junction of the plumule with 

 the collar. 



There were some additional 

 leaf buds and numerous root 

 filaments. The radicle was 

 7-inches in length, and single. 



