Germination. 2 
3 
corn, wheat and many other seeds, the seed-case is of such 
a nature that it absorbs and transmits water readily. In 
certain seeds, however, as the honey locust, canna, thorn 
apple, etc., especially if they have been allowed to become 
dry, the seed-case does not readily transmit water at ordin- 
ary growing temperatures. Such seeds may lie for weeks, 
and even months, in tepid water without swelling, but when 
the water is heated to a certain degree, they swell promptly, 
a fact often turned to account by the nurseryman. We 
cannot always judge by the appearance of a seed-case 
whether it will transmit water readily or not. 
Section II]. GERMINATION 
28. What is Germination? If we place a few grains 
of mature Indian corn that are not too old to possess vital- 
ity (165), between the well-moistened cloths of a seed- 
tester (Fig. 5), cover with the glass and place in a warm room, 
we shall observe, if we examine the corn frequently, that a 
change, aside from the swelling, will soon take place in at 
least a partof the grains. The seed-case will be bursted by 
the pressure of a tiny white shoot from beneath. We say 
that such grains have sprouted or have commenced to ger- 
minate (ger’-mi-nate), i. e., have taken the first visible step 
toward developing into a plant. 
We have seen (13) that the mature seed contains protop- 
lasm in its dormant condition. On the absorption of water, 
with a suitable temperature, the protoplasm resumes its 
active state, and the cells of a certain part of the seed begin 
to increase in number by division (15), causing the tiny 
shoot to burst through the seed-case. Germination is com- 
pleted when the young plant (plantlet) is sufficiently devel- 
oped to live without further assistance from the seed. 
