66 
work progressed the viability of the spores decreased until practically 
none grew. Under these circumstances it was thought best not to present 
any of the data. 
TABLE I. 
Germination of Oat Seed and Smut Spores After Immersion in Formalin Solution. 
ees 
2 & (Bae 
r= 2 \Oe.g ! 
S wet leo 3S 5 
; Co o8 |og8| 5 
Per Cent. of Formalin. on nO |20.8] 3-2 
de a a ae oS 
~ x 2H | Lo 
wa | 82 B58] CEE 
— 3M = preydo) jen) 
S ze es 
CET ON ee cs ive See sco rrets Styne Peco eens FIT ete ee eee eral oe ee pee 12 12 99.5 
OOO UEUDY srr ks Se sees ete rennet re eee aan ete ie 15 min 4 0 92 
Wie =fOUTU I< sorte aks che ieee tose eee en Se eee ee See | 80 min....| 4 0 93.5 
One-fourth ese a-ee see wen ae Soe ee ee nee tar ene eee 1:hour. 4 0 90.5 
Oxis=fourthi. 22 te eee Pe eae ee et ek eh eee ees 2 hours...| 2 0 95 
OD Sana Ee secession eee ese 1b min:...| 4 0 92.5 
Ono=halete= APs Sek ooh aioe he deat dee tac Cee Ee 30 min.... Z 0 91 
FLOne nalts ca ced: Anite eeu ce tcee rece he ce tea Mh cere eet rae | 1 hour.... 2) 30 91 
Cette) ANE ais £01 ites Wee woeeeals /2hours...| 2 | 0 | 865 
| 
As will be seen by Table I. but two strengths of formalin were used, 
these being a one-fourth and a one-half per cent. solution. These two 
strengths were chosen because they were considered sufficiently strong 
to prove effective against smut when it was immersed but a short time, 
and would therefore more nearly represent comparable conditions with 
hot water treatments. In these two solutions the grain and smut were 
immersed for periods of time varying from one-quarter to two hours, the 
intervening points being one-half and one hour, making in all four 
treatments. 
Taking the shorter treatment by the weaker solution, it was found 
that even when a minute quantity of spores was treated, if they were 
mounted at once in a hanging drop culture, quite a large per cent. of the 
spores would germinate. If, on the other hand, the spores were allowed 
to remain in the sacks until dry and then mounted, no germination was 
