70 



GERMINATION 



tree ; very boisterous winds had prevailed shortly before 

 the seeds were picked and no doubt some of them were 

 immature. 



Following the last seedling was one with a plumule 4-inche3 

 above soil and 7|-inches from the collar but, strangely enough 

 the radicle did not exceed 3-inches in length and bore just 

 nominal root filaments. The seedling was vigorous and in 

 all respects identical with Figure 37 except there was no 

 decay of the seed substance ; nor, so far as I could judge, 

 no diminution in the size or firmness of the seed. 



In the sketches hitherto made the two halves of the seed 

 have been forced apart. Normally the seed opens in this 



way :— 



_^rown£sfy rec/ 



In succession came a larger seedling, with six leaves. 

 This was one of the horizontals. The plumule was 4|-inches 

 above soil, and the radicle (single) 9-inches when straightened 

 out. The seed coat had only spHt sufficiently to let the 

 radicle squeeze through. Further examination disclosed 

 the fact that what I have called the collar had extended in 

 each half much farther into the seed substance and from 

 it a swelling had occupied nearly the whole of the seed as 

 far as the base. 



