EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF GERMINATION WITH A 

 LAMP-CHIMNEY 



By H. N. LOOMIS 

 State Normal-Training School, New Britain, Conn. 



The experimental study of germination affords in many ways 

 ideal nature-study lessons because, (i) the lessons may be made 

 observational at almost every step, (2) they may be made experi- 

 mental and, therefore, subject to the teacher's control, (3) much 

 of the work can be done with inexpensive apparatus by the 

 children, (4) the ideas presented are of the larger sort and grow 

 with the child, (5) the applications are numerous, important and 

 right at hand. These five points are worthy of more than a 

 passing glance in the arranging of nature-study lessons. 



In some ways I have found an ordinary five-cent Argand or 

 student-lamp chimney peculiarly well suited for the study. The 

 method of using it is as follows: Roll the portion of chimney 

 above the bend in blotting paper, cut the paper off so that the 

 edges will not meet when rolled on the outside of the chimney but 

 when rolled so that edges meet, the paper cylinder should slip 

 into the chimney without binding. As you push the cylinder 

 down into the chimney insert pea, corn, morning glory, squash 

 and oat seeds on different sides of paper cylinder between paper 

 and chimney. Do not insert too many seeds; 12 to 20 seeds are 

 quite enough for a chimney. It requires a little patience to 

 insert the larger seeds, but when once placed and the paper 

 cylinder is pushed down so as not to protrude above the top of the 

 chimney no further trouble will be encountered. Do not w^et 

 blotting paper until after it is in place. Insert at both ends of 

 paper cylinder wads of wet moss (sphagnum) which may be had 

 at any greenhouse. Now for the first time thoroughly wet the 

 blotting paper by standing, the chimney on small end and fill the 

 large end of chimney with water; shortly the water will soak 

 through the moss and thoroughly wet the blotting paper. Per- 

 haps no further wetting will be necessary throughout the experi- 

 ment. Breaking of chimneys from tipping over can be prevented 

 by tacking corks large enough to fit the large end of chimney to a 



