112 THE STORY OF GERM LIFE. 



seed. It has been claimed that their growth tends 

 to soften the food material in the seed, so that 

 the young seedling can more readily absorb it for 

 its own food, and that without such a softening 

 the seed remains too hard for the plant to use. 

 This may well be doubted, however, for seeds 

 can apparently sprout well enough without the 

 aid of bacteria. But, nevertheless, bacteria do 

 grow in the seed during its germination, and thus 

 do aid the plant in the softening of the food ma- 

 terial. We can not regard them as essential to 

 seed germination. It may well be claimed that 

 they ordinarily play at least an incidental part in 

 this fundamental life process, although it is un- 

 certain whether the growth of seedlings is to any 

 considerable extent aided thereby. 



In the management of a silo the farmer has 

 undoubtedly another great bacteriological prob- 

 lem. In the attempt to preserve his summer- 

 grown food for the winter use of his animals, 

 he is hindered by the activity of common bac- 

 teria. If the food is kept moist, it is sure to 

 undergo decomposition and be ruined in a short 

 time as animal food. The farmer finds it neces- 

 sary, therefore, to dry some kinds of foods, like 

 hay. While he can thus preserve some foods, 

 others can not be so treated. Much of the rank 

 growth of the farm, like cornstalks, is good food 

 while it is fresh, but is of little value when dried. 

 The farmer has from experience and observation 

 discovered a method of managing bacterial 

 growth which enables him to avoid their ordinary 

 evil effects. This is by the use of the silo. The 



