52 



the quantity of oxygen absorbed and the amount of carbonic acid 

 exhaled by a phmt placed in the light and under natural conditions, 

 it will easily be understood why we refrain from making any com- 

 parison until we are in possession of iill the data necGSi^ary to carry 

 out the calculation. 



(9) The facts which precede convince me that the seeds of uncul- 

 tivated plants germinating in the light are, all other conditions being- 

 equal, better distributed than the seeds of cultivated plants; that 

 they possess a greater germinating power, an advantage which in- 

 creases their chances for ulterior development. 



