1917] FAUST—RESIN SECRETION . 449 
November 28; mold developing; seeds rinsed in formalin solution, rinsed 
in distilled water, and returned to damp chamber. 
December 1; culture found dry; had been dry about two hours. 
No germination in this series. 
SERIES III 
January 25; 100 seeds selected, soaked in sulphuric acid, thoroughly 
rinsed in distilled water, then placed in sterile moist chamber between filter 
paper; distilled water supplied as needed drop by drop by siphon apparatus; 
temperature 25° C, 
January 31; first seed bursts testa; no mold. 
February 1; 5 seeds found soft wid discarded. 
February 10; 3 seeds germinating. 
February 18; 4 seeds germinating. 
February 24; 6 seeds germinating; no mold. 
February 29; 8 seeds germinating; several of the remainder soft, discarded. 
March 4; seeds dry for several hours; no subsequent germination. 
An examination of these records shows certain interesting and 
significant points. A comparatively small percentage of seedlings 
germinated from selected seeds, due to lack of viability in appar- 
ently viable seeds and to infection during the germination tests. 
An extremely small percentage of seeds germinated from the total 
seed production. Seriés I gave a total of 10 per cent of seeds ger- 
minated from too selected seeds. Series II gave no germination, 
due to desiccation antecedent to expected germination. Series III 
gave an 8 per cent germination within the same time limit as Series I 
(less one day), but at a lower average temperature. The average 
for Series I and III is 9 per cent. A more elaborate and critical 
study of the germination values for Parthenium argentatum by Ki1rxk- 
Woop (9, p. 39) gave 10.8 per cent for selected seeds of that species. 
Since the selected seeds comprised only about one-tenth of the 
total seeds produced, an average of less than 1 per cent (0.9) is 
obtained for the ratio of seeds germinated to the total of seeds pro- 
duced. Although the plant is a perennial, the severity of the 
winters in the exposed places where the plant grows kills out many 
of the rootstocks. Taking into consideration the infection of the 
bud and the stem by nematodes and mites, an enormous seed pro- — 
duction would seem necessary to maintain the plant as the domi- 
nant member of the society in which it grows. 
