


1901 | EFFECT OF HYDROCYANIC ACID GAS 257 
seeds out of every ten germinated, while in the latter instance only 
two seeds out of every ten germinated. Hence it should be noted 
that much depends upon the natural vitality of the seeds, not 
only in these experiments but in all cases where seeds are sub- 
jected to similar treatment. If the seeds were subjected for 
seven days to a charge of gas greater than that produced from 
0.050®" of KCN per cubic foot, they were unable to germinate in 
a single instance. In those cases where germination did take 
place, the subsequent growth of the seedlings was always slow 
and feeble. It is true that some of the seedlings, in these as well 
as in other experiments where the subsequent growth was slow, 
were able to overcome the influence of the gas after a longer or 
shorter time and to grow at the normal rate. 
Since the seeds subjected to the gas from more than 0.050%" 
of KCN per cubic foot were unable to germinate, it was decided 
to test the effect of a comparatively strong charge of the gas fora 
short time. The results of these experiments are recorded in 
table VIT. 
TABLE VII. 
Same as table VI, except that a stronger charge of hydrocyanic acid gas was used for 
a short time. 








Amt. of KCN Time of door e! Time required for at Subsequent growth 
per cubic foot soaking to gas germination nation of seedlings 
O.000 i 2 24 hours oO 24 hours 100 normal 
O250' ee Ba oi Ss hours pgae oi 50 fi 
0.250. . SAS 6:5 no germination ) 
0.250 - i 24 “ I 2 “ it % “ re) 




In these experiments it was found that some of the seeds 
were able to resist for more than three hours the influence of the 
gas from 0.25°" of KCN per cubic foot, although after three 
hours one half the seeds were unable to germinate and the other 
half were held in check for seventy-two hours or forty-eight hours 
beyond the usual time of germination. However, the seeds that 
did germinate produced seedlings that grew at the normal rate. 
Seeds soaked, treated with gas, washed and placed in HCN-free 
atmosphere —The experiments recorded in table VIII were 
