Atkins — The Absorption of Water hy Seeds. 



41 



In pure water. 



Mean (14) = 140-2 per cent, in- 

 crease in wc 



Mean, 140-2 (14) 



I. 6. 



136-5 (4) 



In gram-moleciilar KNO^,. 

 Mean (4) = 136-5 per cent, in- 

 crease in -weight. 



In saturated KNO. solution. 

 ^ Mean (6) = 150-0 per cent, in- 

 [ crease in -n'eight. 



Mean 144-6 (10) 



Comparison of Lit lug Seeds from Series II. and of Dead Seeds from 

 Series III 

 Living. Dead. 



These results make it clear that, while there are considerable variations 

 between individual seeds, there is no distinguishable diversity in the behaviour 

 of living and dead seeds. They also show that the presence of potassium 

 nitrate has no effect upon the final weight except in so far as the density of 

 the solution is altered ; also the salt may be washed out of the seed, its final 

 weight then being what it would have been if placed direct in pure water- 

 On carefully drying the surfaces of seeds taken from the nitrate solutions, 

 and allowing them to dry internally by evaporation, a forest of crystals 

 appeared all over the surfaces, growing to a height of several millimetres. 

 This is a further proof that the salt really entered the seeds in quantity. 



