186 TRANSACnOXS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lviii. 



table xjhysiology, I thought it might interest the members 

 of this Society, and I trust you may find at least some 

 matter worthy of your attention in it. 



From a practical point of view the importance of the 

 subject is really almost nil, but in almost every book on 

 malting the influence of light on germination is mentioned, 

 and in regard to it some fearful and wonderful statements 

 are sometimes put forward. Some maltsters, as I have 

 seen in various places, have adopted blue glass for the 

 windows of the malting floors, under the impression that 

 by admitting the actinic rays of light they favour in some 

 way the germination of the grain, apparently losing sight 

 of the fact that their operations are practically carried on 

 in the dark, as far as germination is concerned, seeing that 

 it is only the upper layer of corns that is exposed to the 

 light. Some other maltsters, prefer having their floors alto- 

 gether dark, which is often an advantage, because direct 

 sunlight is excluded, and the consequent undue elevation of 

 temperature is avoided, which, of course, would affect the 

 germinative acti^^tv to a considerable extent. 



Many experiments have been recorded at different times 

 by various authors in connection with the influence of light 

 on the germination of seeds, but the results arrived at have 

 been very conflicting. 



The state of uncertainty in which this question still re- 

 mains has induced me to make a series of experiments, using 

 every means which I could devise to avoid the interference 

 of outside influences, in order to arrive, if possible, at a 

 definite solution of the problem as to whether light retards 

 or accelerates the respiratory functions of such seeds as 

 barley and wheat during the process of germination. My 

 chief purpose in making this communication is rather to 

 place on record the methods employed and their result, 

 than to put forward any particular conclusions that might 

 be deduced from the experiments. 



Among the experimenters who have worked on this 

 subject, the following names may be mentioned. They are 

 collected from the historical record of the subject, with 

 references, given by M. A. Pauchon in his memoir, to be 

 alluded to acrain : — 



