8 MISSOURI AGR. EXP. STA. RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 17 



Both grew in four days. The treatment hastened the germination by 

 two days in the case of the oats, but only slightly in the case of the 

 barley. 



The second etherization test was with newly ripened seeds of 

 fox-glove (Digitalis purpurea}, larkspur (Delphinium sp.), dock (Ru- 

 mex sp..), and tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum). The treatment 

 was for twenty-four hours. All grew in from three to twelve days but 

 germination was hastened but little, if at all. 



These preliminary tests seem to indicate that treating with ether 

 will not kill seeds even while in an immature state. Also it would 

 seem that the treatment has more effect upon green seeds than upon 

 ripe ones. 



Seed Experiments in 1908. Beginning in the spring of 1908, the 

 experiments with seeds were resumed. The work the previous year 

 having shown in the main that they would grow when planted in an 

 immature state and also immediately after maturing, it was decided 

 to try to find out when the rest period sets in. It was also desirable 

 to learn what relation the seed coat bears to germination or failure 

 to germinate. It was assumed that if a seed will grow when planted 

 immediately after being fully matured, it has no rest period. If seeds 

 that are found to grow at once are kept for several days in a dry 

 room so that the seed coat becomes hard and the seeds fail to germi- 

 nate, it seems fair to conclude that the failure is due to a mechanical 

 hindrance that of a hard seed coat. It must be admitted, however, 

 that there is a bare possibility that failure to, grow after drying for 

 two or three weeks might be due to a rest period. In this event 

 it would be clear that the rest period does not necessarily set in at 

 the time of maturity, but may take place some time later. 



Beginning in the spring, as soon as the earliest maturing seeds 

 began to ripen, a list of eighty-one species was gathered. A quantity 

 of each species was planted at once and a similar quantity kept in 

 a dry room from one to two weeks. In a few instances where the 

 seeds were large and very juicy it was necessary to dry them longer 

 than two weeks. On the other hand certain small seeds did not re- 

 quire as much as one week to become dried out sufficiently. The 

 plan of the experiment called for drying the seeds to a degree that 

 would fit them for being placed safely in ordinary storage for the 

 winter. 



The list of species included both herbaceous and woody plants. 

 Some of the herbaceous forms were annuals while perhaps the ma- 

 jority were perennials. 



