REST PERIOD STUDIES WITH SEEDS 



43 



This may perhaps be explained on the theory that growth had already 

 begun in the 6-hour-soaked seeds, and consequently that the 24-hour 

 ether treatment which followed was harmful to the growing parts. 

 This is in accord with previous experiments in etherizing vegetative 

 parts where buds were nearly always injured if treated with a strong 

 dose of ether after they had begun to grow. 



TABLE 22. EFFECTS OF VARIOUS TREATMENTS ON GERMINATION OF SEEDS 

 KEPT IN COMMON STORAGE UNTIL MID- WINTER. TREATMENTS MADE IN 

 JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, 1913. SPECIES, Allium Cepa, L 



*See page 34 for detailed treatments. 



In general, soaking dry seeds for three hours has a tendency to 

 produce a hastened germination, but a 12-hour exposure to ether, in ad- 

 dition to the soaking, hastened it still more in many cases. 



Seeds that were soaked for three hours and then frozen showed 

 hastened germination in a few cases, but with practically every species 

 a much lower total germination was secured. The ether treatment 



