1893 GEBMINATION IN DM SEEDS 329 



To F. Darwin, Esq. 



St. Aldate's, Oxford : June 14. 



My dear Darwin, There has been no hurry 

 about answering my letter because I cannot publish 

 until I shall have ascertained what has already been 

 done upon the subject, and for this purpose I have 

 had to write to Germany. I am greatly obliged to 

 you for the substantial assistance which your letter 

 has given me. 



My modus operandi was to give nine different 

 kinds of seeds to Crookes, 1 to place them in one of his 

 TO"O iW ou atmosphere vacuums for three months last 

 year (viz. February, March, and April). He then 

 left one set undisturbed, whilst the other eight sets 

 were transferred to their respective gases (nine in 

 number), where they remained sealed up for a year. 

 On being planted last month they have all germinated 

 even better than those from the control packets of 

 seeds, which have been in air all the time. 



I should have thought beforehand that at any rate 

 the seeds which have been in so high a vacuum for 

 fifteen months would have had any residual air ex- 

 tracted. But I will now try for next year, peeling 

 peas, beans, &c., as you suggest. Do you think it 

 would be well also to soak the seeds for a few hours 

 before sealing in Crookes' tubes ? 



Do not trouble to answer by letter, as I am going 

 to Cambridge on the 21st inst. for the day, and will 

 then see you if I can find you at home. 



1 Professor W. Crookes, F.R.S. 



