226 



SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE 



March, 19? 



tests were subjected may be had from 

 Figure 2, which represents changes as re- 

 corded for slightly over one week. While 

 this is but a section of the entire curve, it 



is tj'pical and illustrates in a general way 

 the temperature changes. 



The counts made of germinated seeds 

 are indicated in Table 1. 



COUNTS 



Table I — Foa Compressa (L). Results 

 of germination tests conducted in darkness 

 continuously, and alternately in light and 

 darkness. 



In examining this table it will be noticed 

 that in all cases except No. 8 the six day 

 count is higher for tests conducted in con- 

 tinuous darkness tlian for those subjected 

 daily to light. In No. 8 the count is 7 in 

 botli cases. It is rather singular, if liglit 

 has a beneficial effect in the gei'inination 

 of Canada Blue Grass, that the 6th day 

 count was higher for l^sts in the dark con- 

 tinuously, than for those alternately in 

 light and darkness. An explanation of 

 this peculiar result is not here attemi)ted. 

 It will, however, be noticed in the tal)le 

 that the final percentage germination is 

 higher for tests subjected alternately to 



light and darkness than for those subject- 

 ed to darkness contiiniously. This result 

 obtains for every one of the twelve sam- 

 ples. The greatest difference is 20 per 

 cent, shown in No. 9, and the lowest 3 per 

 cent., shown in No. 4, while the average 

 for the twelve samples is 12.3 per cent( see 

 curves in Figure 3). While this is not a 

 great difference, still when it is consi- 

 dered that an advantage in favor of light 

 is shown with all the samples, it may rea- 

 sonably be concluded that sunlight Avas 

 responsible for the somewhat iiu'reased ger- 

 mination. 



