ANDREWS & BEALS: GROWTH OF ZEA Mays 93 
visible growth. The control of 25 grains gave an average growth 
of 19 mm., ranging in length from 3 mm. to 44 mm. Of these 18 
made a growth of 10 mm. or more, and the remaining 7 made a 
growth of less than 10 mm. This shows that when Zea Mays is 
soaked, puncturing the coats does not increase the growth if the 
opening is blocked by air.* But when unsoaked grains are used 
and they are in wet sawdust different results are obtained, as is 
shown by the following experiment. 
The average growth of the 24 punctured unsoaked grains 
was 1.3 mm.; the growth measurements of 7 were as follows, in 
millimeters: 10,6, 6, 7, 2, I, 1, with 17 grains showing no growth. 
The 24 unpunctured grains gave an average of only 0.3 mm., with 
21 having no growth and others ranging in length as follows: 
4mm.,2mm.,and1mm._ This indicates that when there is no 
interference from air, moisture is absorbed more regularly and 
that puncturing of the coat materially increases the growth. 
The study of the effect of punctures in different parts of the 
Zea Mays grain was next investigated. In the first experiment 
the coats were punctured on the opposite side of the grain from 
the embryo, with the following results. The unsoaked grains 
were planted in damp sawdust and left for 24 hours. The average 
growth of 25 grains was 7.04 mm. 2 seedlings were over 40 mm. 
long, 3 were 15-18 mm. long, 11 were less than 7 mm. long, and 
9 showed no growth. The average of 24 unpunctured grains was 
3.6 mm., 3 were over 10 mm. long, 7 were less than 10 mm. in 
length, and 14 showing no growth. 
A small puncture was then made in unsoaked grains over the 
embryo with the fol’owing results: the average growth of 25 
grains was 3.24 mm. The length of the growing seedlings was as 
follows, in millimeters: 25, 19, 14, 10, 7, 3, 2 and 1; while 17 
showed no growth. The average growth of 25 unpunctured 
grains was 1.88 mm. The length of the growing seedlings was as 
follows, in millimeters: 17, 14, 10, 3, 2, 1; while 19 showed no 
growth. 
The removal of part of the coats from different parts of the 
grain was made with the meh results: 
* See de Vries, H. Beschleunigung der Wasseraufnahme it in 
Samen durch Druck. Biol. Saas. 35: 161-176. I915. 

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