4^4: TRAXSACTIOXS AND PEOCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. VK. 



work on this point, and shall reserve the results for a 

 possible future communication, as a consideration of them 

 now would take up a good deal too much time. I will 

 merely state in this connection that the effect of increased 

 moisture appears to increase in a considerable degree the 

 amount of metabolism which takes place without altering 

 to any great extent its character as is the case under the 

 influence of increased temperature. 



Method of Experiment. 



Experiments were performed with three kinds of barley, 

 viz. : — Hungarian, Scotch Chevalier, both of them two- 

 rowed barleys, and ordinary Smyrna, a six-rowed variety. 



The degree of moisture for germination was determined 

 by steeping in distilled water, at a temperature of 57° F., 

 for 24, 48, 72, or 96 hours. In each experiment 100 

 corns were carefully selected to ensure uniformity as much 

 as possible. These were weighed and then steeped for the 

 desired period, changing the water several times. At the 

 close of the time for steeping the water was drained off, 

 the corns well washed three times with fresh water, and 

 adhering moisture removed by gentle pressure in a clean 

 cloth. The corns were then weighed again. ■ The steep 

 water and washings were collected and evaporated to 

 dryness, and the weight of the substances removed from 

 the barley was carefully determined. This weight added 

 to the increase in weight of the corns during steep, gave 

 the total quantity of moisture absorbed. In order to 

 ascertain the absolute quantity of moisture present in the 

 corns, a separate sample of the original barley was ground 

 and dried in vacuo at 100° C, and the natural moisture 

 determined in this way. The amount of natural or 

 original moisture added to the quantity absorbed during 

 steep gave the absolute quantity of moisture present in the 

 corns to be experimented upon. The steeped corns, after 

 being weighed as above, were introduced into a small flask 

 like that in the figure. This flask was immersed in water 

 up to the mark F in the figure, contained in a large vessel 

 holding about 9 gallons, the temperature being always kept 

 constant by means of a small gas flame regulated by a 

 thermostat. 



