THIS A WA K EKING OF THE SEED 



15 



It would .appear that considerable water enters 

 through the opening, the amount being different in 

 different kinds of seeds. The question may be raised 

 Does all the water enter in this way? If, in the ex- 

 periment just concluded, the openings were securely 

 stopped, it would seem that we must, in many cases 

 at least, answer negatively. However, all doubt on 

 this point may be removed by partially submerging 

 the seeds without allowing the opening to come in 

 contact with the water. A very convenient way is 

 to place the seeds in sand which is kept saturated 

 with water (see Fig. 23) : for keeping the sand satu- 

 rated, the device shown in Fig. 27 may be used. Or 

 we may cut in a cork notches large enough to receive 

 tlie seeds; after wedging them firmly in place, put 

 the cork in water 

 (Fig. 19). If water 

 now enters the seed it 

 must be through the 

 cover itself, since the 

 opening is not in con- 

 tact with the water. 

 Large, flat corks are 

 best; if necessary 

 they may be obtained 

 at drug- stores. (Cork soles or the cork strips used by 

 entomologists are good.) Flat pieces of wood will 

 serve in place of cork. This experiment may be 



19. A method of keeping seeds half-submerp^-l 

 in order to discover how the water enters. 



