1901.] 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 33. 



83 



Table XI. — Showing the Effects of Diastase Solutions vpon the 

 Germination of Upland Rice Seeds (^Oryza sativa L.). 



STRENGTH OF SOLUTION. 



Pebcentage of Germination (in Days). 



(24 Hours). 



Normal, . 

 5 per cent., 

 2.5 per cent., . 

 1 per cent., 

 .5 per cent., 

 .25 per cent., . 

 .1 per cent., 

 .05 per cent., . 



Normal average (per cent.) , . . . 28.0 



Diastaee average (per cent.), 39.5 



Two other ex|)eriments were made, with black barley and 

 with wheat seeds ; the results, however, are of no conse- 

 quence, inasmuch as the treated seeds became mouldy. This 

 troublesome feature constituted the worst drawback in all of 

 the diastase experiments. Waugh experienced the same 

 trouble in the use of many of his solutions. This difficulty 

 does not lie in the sterilization of the germinating appliances, 

 but in the use of the solutions, which constitute excellent 

 media for mould development. We therefore made the 

 practice of rinsing all of the treated seeds with water l)eforo 

 placing them in the germinators, which process helps keep 

 down the moulds, but in some cases the moulds would appear 

 even after the seeds had been rinsed. The results obtained 

 from the foregoing experiments have already been sufficiently 

 explained, and no further comment upon them is necessary 

 here. In conclusion, it may be stated, however, that the 

 study of the effects of amides and ferments and other acceler- 

 ated factors upon seeds still offers a held for investigation 

 worthy of a much more serious consideration than that given 

 here. 



