2l8 



STUDIES IN SEEDS AND FRUITS 



ciently establish this point, and it would be unwise to place 

 much stress on individual differences. Thus, to take the 

 swelling ratios, although in Cassia and Rkinus this ratio for the 

 embryo is rather greater than for the albumen, in Poinciana it 

 is considerably less, and in Bauhinia it is about the same. 



Table showing the Behaviour of the Embryo in the three Con- 

 ditions OF Albuminous Seeds, the Pre-resting, the Resting, 

 and the Swollen State preceding Germination. (All are 

 leguminous except the last.) 



Poinciana regia . 



Bauhinia (species) 



Cassia fistula 

 ,, marginata 

 , , grandis . 



Ricinus communis 



The relative weight of the 

 embryo, taking the kernel 



Pre- 

 resting. 



47'9 

 42-8 

 27-1 



Swollen. 



45-8 I 

 46-1 I 

 24-2 j 

 19-1 j 



The shrinking and swelling ratios 

 of the embryo and albumen, the 

 first for the embryo, the second 

 in parentheses for the albumen. 



The resting 

 state as i. 



Pr. 



2"22 

 (278 



1-98 

 (2-23 



2-63 

 (2'03 



Sw. 



2"30 



3-13) 



2-10 



2-07) 



2-63 

 2-38) 



2-23 

 2-IO) 

 2-30 

 2-05) 

 1-67 

 ••41) 



In order to obtain the data summarised in the foregoing 

 tabular statement a considerable amount of work was done. For 

 the study of the part played by the embryo in the shrinking and 

 swelling regime of an albuminous seed of the type before de- 

 scribed it was necessary to make use of a formula containing the 

 elements for the requisite determinations, these elements being : 

 (a) The weight of the resting seed ; 



(J?) The shrinking and swelling ratios of the entire seed ; 

 {c) The relative weights of coats, albumen, and embryo 

 in the three conditions of the seed, that of the un- 

 contracted pre-resting seed, the contracted resting 

 seed, and the swollen seed ready for germination. 



