Apr. lS9y.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDIxN'BURGlI 213 



directed upwards. When kept in this position for two 

 winter months in a temperate greenhouse, the cotyledon 

 grew 1 inch, and curved geotropically over the seed, until 

 the greenish yellow tip almost touched the surface of the 

 soil. In another four weeks it widened vertically to some 

 extent, and grew another -| inch in length, but did not 

 penetrate the soil. The ligatures were then removed, 

 and the entire embryo was found to be fresh. The 

 experiment was carried no further ; enough, however, had 

 been done to show the great vitality of the embryo, 

 and to suggest the possibilities of using this seed in a 

 variety of experiments, to demonstrate phenomena associated 

 with germination and embryonic life. 



Another seed was allowed to germinate as it lay on 

 a shelf, until it produced a bent cotyledon about 1 inch 

 in length. The seed was then placed on damp moss in 

 a pot in a greenhouse, but in a new position, so that 

 the direction of the growing organ was changed. After 

 a time the seed was again turned, and growth in a 

 new direction thereby induced. The repeated efforts on 

 the part of the cotyledon, in response to geotropic force, 

 resulted in a curious twisting of the stalk or petiole 

 (Fig. 5). Meanwhile, great swelling at the tip of the 

 cotyledon, due to the development of the young bulb 

 (Fig. 56), and a corresponding shrinkage of the seed, 

 caused by the removal of formative material, had 

 occurred. The bulb commences to develop close to the 

 apex of the cotyledon. The radicle elongates at the actual 

 apex, to become the primary root (Fig. bpr). As the bulb 

 enlarges, the part of the cotyledon around it expands and 

 constitutes the first tunic. Behind the expansion, the stalk 

 of the cotyledon is solid, with vascular bundles passing 

 through it longitudinally. The seed in question was 

 left lying on the moss for another month, and during 

 that time the bulb increased in diameter from y^^ to 

 jV inch, and the cotyledon sheathing it had begun 

 to split in the widest part (Fig. 6.s-). The primary 

 root had made no further growth. 



In the course of another six weeks, the seed (still 

 lying on the moss) had visibly diminished in size, and 

 the growing bulb (Fig. 7), now 'i inch in diameter, had 



