10 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. IO7 



Abnormal curvatures, diminished elongation, and increased thick- 

 ening of seedling shoots cultured in laboratory air have been noted by 

 several investigators (Neljubow, 1901, 191 1; Singer, 1903; Richter, 

 1903, 1906). Similar effects were shown to be produced by low con- 

 centrations of ethylene (Neljubow, and also later workers) and oi 

 vapors from terpenes and from wood (Richter, 1906). 



ACKNOWLEDGMENT 



We are indebted to T. R. Stanton, United States Department of 

 Agriculture, for seeds of Markton oats ; to F. Scofield, National Paint, 

 Varnish and Lacquer Association, for the samples of vegetable oils; 

 and to the Buffalo Electro-Chemical Company, Shell Development 

 Corporation, and Lucidol Division of the Novadel-Agene Corporation 

 for some of the chemicals tested. 



SUMMARY 



Air in contact with certain oils, varnishes, and woods was found 

 to acquire the property of inhibiting or markedly retarding the ger- 

 mination of oats, wheat, and corn, and also, to less pronounced degree, 

 sorghum, barley, tomato, bean, lettuce, and radish. The inhibition or 

 retardation ceased completely on removal of the seeds from the af- 

 fected air. As the active agent could be transferred in an air stream 

 from one container to another, it is considered to be of the nature of 

 a chemical vapor rather than some form of radiant energy. 



LITERATURE CITED 

 Baldwin, H. I. 



1935. Seasonal variations in the germination of red spruce. Amer. Journ. 

 Bot., vol. 22, pp. 392-394- 

 Baughman, W. p., and Jamieson, G. S. 



1925. Action of fatty acids and oils on a photographic plate. Journ. Oil 

 & Fat Ind., vol. 2, pp. 25-28. 

 BORRISS, H. 



1940. t)ber innere Vorgange bei der Samenkeimung und ihre Beeinfluss- 

 ung durch Aussenfaktoren (Untersuchungen an Caryophyllaceen- 

 samen). Jahrb. Wiss. Bot., vol. 89, pp. 254-339. 

 Friend, J. N. 



1917. The chemistry of linseed oil. London. 

 Gardner, H. A. 



1914a. The composition of paint vapors. Journ. Ind. Eng, Chem., vol. 6, 

 pp. 91-95. [For criticism of this paper see Klein, Journ. Ind. Eng. 

 Chem., vol. 7, pp. 99-102 (1915).] 

 1914b. The toxic and antiseptic properties of paints. Drugs, Oils & Paints, 

 vol. 30, pp. 10-14. 



