442 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JUNE 
attention must be given than formerly to pathological phenomena. ° 
Observations on this point should be given along with other data 
from the experiment. 
3. The causes of delayed germination in asters, certain hardy 
perennials, labiates, ornamental grasses, cucurbits, conifers, frosted 
oats, Betula, and Berberis. 
4. The value of hard seeds of legumes when planted in the soil. 
5. The relation of any or all of the causes of delayed germi- 
nation to the vigor of the plants produced. It is not enough that 
a given lot of seeds shall be free from impurities; it is not even 
enough that it shall give a high germination percentage. It must, 
above all, give rise to vigorous productive plants, when planted in 
field conditions. Consequently, any knowledge which will teach 
us how to grow such seeds and how to know poor seeds is of the 
greatest practical importance. 
Summary 
1. Hard-coated seeds of legumes, and seeds of Delphinium, 
Ipomoea, lettuce, mustard, okra, sweet marjoram, and snapdragon 
can be forced to more rapid germination by being blown against 
needle points. 
2. For two varieties of lettuce it is shown that the seed improves 
in viability as it grows older, up to the end of at least the fourth 
year. This improvement is probably due to increased perme- 
ability of the inner seed coat to water. 
3. Cold storage in wet sand increased the germination seeds of 
Pinus Sirobus by 32 per cent, of Cupressus macrocarpa by 31 pet 
cent. Delayed germination of conifer seeds, more especially those 
of Pinus Strobus and P. austriaca, seems to be due to lack of water 
intake, and not to an alkaline or neutral reaction of the embryo. 
This statement is supported by the fact that seeds injected with 
distilled water gave better germination than those merely soaked 
in water or in weak acid at the temperature of melting ice. Any 
kind of soaking or injection gave 13~38 per cent better germination 
than was obtained with the controls. : 
4. Certain samples of frosted oats improve in germinating 
power as they grow older, others deteriorate. 
