﻿LIVING PI-ANTvS 



who used from two to four sizes each of wheat, 

 barley, rye, oats, corn, beans and peas. He 

 measured the lengths of the plumule and 

 radicle from day to day for two weeks. His 

 conclusion was that the larger and 

 heavier the seed, the stronger the develop- 

 ment. He found, however, an apparent 

 exception in peas, as did Marek, in which the 

 main root and stem are shorter the larger the 

 seed. But in this case it was noted that the 

 extra strength is expended in lateral growth, 

 forming a thicker stem and more side rootlets, 

 thus bringing the apparent anomaly into line. 

 A subsequent experiment by Marek was car- 

 ried somewhat further. Three sizes of English 

 beans w^ere planted April 24th, and their 

 growth noted up to maturity, July 12th, with 

 the result that the larger the seed the taller 

 the stems and the more numerous and larger 

 the leaves. It also occurred to him to test the 

 force exerted by roots of seedlings in piercing 

 the soil, and in this respect also the off- 

 spring of large seed showed marked superior- 

 ity over those from small seed. 



Taking into account now the harvest, we 

 find some excellent experiments with clear re- 

 Final yield suits. Trial of large and small seed roughly 

 separated by sifting was made by Gofif with 

 onion, cauliflower, turnip and cabbage, with 

 some gain in favor of the large seed in all but 



