LABORATORY PRACTICE 233 



EXPERIMENT 10 

 Effect of Drainage on Germination 



1. Have prepared a galvanized iron pan 1 foot by 2 feet 

 by 6 inches deep. 



2. Have prepared a frame of galvanized iron 1 foot by 

 2 feet by 6 inches deep. This frame will be, in construc- 

 tion, in every way like the pan described in 1, except that 

 it has no bottom. 



3. Preferably out-of-doors, excavate in a loam soil two 

 openings of sufficient size, one to receive the pan and the 

 other the frame, so that the upper edge of pan and frame 

 lie just flush with the surface of the ground, being care- 

 ful also to have selected a spot so that when the pan and 

 frame are placed, their tops shall stand absolutely level. 



4. Thoroughly mellow and mix the soil that was re- 

 moved in excavating, and introduce a sufficient amount 

 into the pan and frame to well fill, packing lightly in the 

 filling. 



5. After pan and frame have been filled a few hours, 

 determine the temperature of the surface soil of each by 

 inserting the bulb of a thermometer to the same depth 

 below the surface say f of an inch. Record tempera- 

 ture. 



6. Carefully measure or weigh into the pan a sufficient 

 amount of water thoroughly to saturate the soil and record 

 the amount of water so introduced. 



7. Introduce slowly and uniformly into the soil in the 

 frame an amount of water equal to that introduced into 

 the soil in the pan. 



8. Lay off the surface of the soil in pan and frame into 

 six-inch squares. 



