GERMINATION. 55 



scale, poured over them, leaving them to steep, and the water 

 to cool for twenty-four hours," and some seeds have germina- 

 ted readily, when boiled for five minutes. There is danger, 

 however, if the water is too hot, that the vitality of most seeds 

 will be destroyed. 



3. By mixing seeds with substances wliich yield oxygen 

 readily, germination is promoted. Under ordinary circum- 

 stances, oxygen is furnished from the decomposition of water, 

 by the vital force ; but when this force is languid, the supply 

 of this agent from other sources is of the highest utility. 

 Humboldt employed a dilute solution of chlorine. which tends 

 to decompose the water, through its affinity for hydrogen, with 

 which it combines, and sets the oxygen at liberty. 



Mr. Otto of Berlin employed oxalic acid, which exerted 

 such an influence upon the vitality, that old seeds which would 

 otherwise die, are made to germ.inate readily. In all these 

 cases, however, there is often danger of injuring the vitality 

 of the seed, by yielding too much oxygen, and, with a few ex- 

 ceptions, the ordinary conditions are the best for the purposes 

 of agriculture. The gardener may derive essential aid by em- 

 ploying these artificial methods of facilitating the germination 

 of his seeds. 



Seeds seem to be the appropriate parts of the plant from 

 which a new individual is derived, and it appears to be the 

 great end of all the vegetable functions to mature and fit 

 them for this office. But although the seed is the principal 

 means of propagation, it is not the only mode ; propagation 

 may be effected by means of hulhs, buds and leaves. The ex- 

 citement of the vitality of bulbs and buds, depends upon the 

 same conditions, as that of the seed, although the chemical 

 changes are not so complicated. The power of propagating 

 plants, by any other means than by seeds, depends wholly up- 

 on leaf buds, (Fig. 7,) or upon what is technically called 

 " eyes ;" these are found on the bulbs, and on the stem of the 

 plant, where they are called buds. They are in fact rudimen- 



