KKFECT OF MO1STUKE AND TEMPERATl' KK. 33 



temperatures (36 to 37 C.) were killed much earlier than those 

 subjected to the moist atmosphere at the lower temperatures 30 to 

 32 C. in both the open and the closed bottles. 



A weighing at the end of 31 days showed that the average increase 

 in weight of the seeds kept in the open, moist chamber, due to the 

 absorption of moisture, was 6 per cent at a temperature of 30 to 

 32 C., and 5 per cent at a temperature of 36 to 37 C. For the 

 seeds kept in the oven, maintained at the temperature of 30 to 32 C., 

 another weighing was made at the end of 13-i days, at which time the 

 average increase in the water content had risen to 8.67 per cent. 

 Unfortunately the seeds from the second oven, maintained at the 

 higher temperature, had become badly molded in 69 days, so that only 

 the one weighing was made. 



Vitality tests made at this time, 69 days, showed that all of the 

 seeds from the open, moist chamber, at the higher temperatures, had 

 been previously killed as a result of the drastic treatment; conse- 

 quently no future germination tests were made. Those maintained at 

 the lower temperatures were almost entirely free from mold at the 

 expiration of the experiment, only an occasional seed showing any 

 trace of fungous growth. Nevertheless, germination tests showed 

 that the vitality had been destroyed in the cabbage, lettuce, and onion. 

 Beans and carrot were most resistant, the former having germinated 

 2.3 per cent and the latter 0.5 per cent. All of the seeds had become 

 very much softened. The beans and the lettuce had changed very 

 materially in color, the beans (Early Kidney Wax Six Weeks) having 

 become much darker and the lettuce (Black-Seeded Simpson) almost a 

 lemon color. 



With the seeds constituting the second series, i. e. , in a moist atmos- 

 l>/t< r< //t/t In scaled bottles, the injury was much more severe. Here, as 

 \vilh the open chambers, the seeds subjected to the higher temperatures 

 were killed first, even though the amount of moisture actually absorbed 

 was less, as was also true with the other series. A weighing made at 

 the end of 81 days gave an increase of 8.6 per cent for those from the 

 oven maintained at a temperature of 30 to 32 C. , and 6.3 per cent at the 

 higher temperature. Likewise, in this series, the seeds had become 

 very much softened and a very disagreeable odor had developed as a 

 result of the putrefaction of their nitrogenous constituents. A close 

 examination made at the end of 81 days revealed slight traces of fun- 

 gous growth, but there is no reason to believe that these played any 

 part in the destruction of vitality. However, in making counts for 

 germination tests all molded seeds were carefully discarded. 



The results of the germination tests showed that the vitality of the 

 seeds kept at the lower temperatures had been practically destroyed 

 at this time. The beans and onions failed to germinate, while the 

 25037 No. 5804 3 



