DUGGAR—VALUE OF FOOD RESERVE IN COTYLEDONS 297 
Recently Andronescu (719) has sought to determine the im- 
portance of the endosperm and scutella in Zea Mays and at 
the same time he has endeavored to find a substitute for these, 
also to follow in heredity any effects observed. While demon- 
strating that normal plants develop without endosperm, his 
use of the term normal is a relative one, and he concludes with 
the statement, “We cannot deny, however, that the presence of 
endosperms is beneficial in the process of germination, as well 
as in the further development of the plants." 
The writer proposes to continue these investigations with 
plants grown under sterile conditions in the hope of determining 
more definitely the nature of the special nutrient or growth- 
inducing substance furnished by the cotyledons. At present 
one of several explanations for the failure to substitute readily 
for the cotyledons may be given: (1) it is conceivable that a 
combination of organic nutrients including several amino acids 
may be necessary for normal growth; (2) that penetration of 
organic substances may be slow and difficult; and (3) that the 
cotyledons may contain a vitamine requisite for the vigorous 
development of the plant. In any case the results so far ob- 
tained, as well as the observations of other investigators, indi- 
cate that the depression of growth accompanying the excision 
of the cotyledons is marked in the case of peas and other plants 
with fleshy seed-leaves, and that the influence of excision extends 
throughout the growth period of the plants.! 
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
Andronescu, D. I. (19). Germination and further development of the embryo 
a Mays separated from the endosperm. Am. Jour. Bot. 6: 443-452. 
pl.41. 1919. 
Bonnet, C. (1754). Recherches sur l'usage des feuilles dans les plantes. 1754. 
[See pp. 236-242 
Dubard, M., et Urbain, J. A. (13). De l'influence de l'a/bumen sur le développe- 
ent de l'embryon. Compt. Rend. Acad. Paris 156: 1086-1089. 1913. 
1 Since this paper was written there has appeared another article of considerable 
interest dealing with the effect of the endosperm upon the growth of the embryo 
(Urbain, A., Influence des matiéres de réserve de l'albumen de la graine sur le dével- 
oppement de l'embryon. Rev. Gén. Bot. 32: 125-139, 165-191. 24 fig. 1920.). 
In addition to careful observations on the effects of the excision of the endosperm 
on the development of a number of plants, a careful comparative study was made of 
internal structure. 
