404 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [MAY 
rate with seeds selected after lying dormant five days under the 
usual germinative conditions. The results showed a much lower 
Aan 
absorption rate, both in air and in 93 per cent oxygen, than was the 
case in tests made with unselected seed. Furthermore, the differ- 
ence between the rates ih air and in higher concentrations of oxygen 
was not so marked. It 
oJ 
is realized, of course, 
“a that the “‘selected seed” 
, was not in behavior to be 
strictly compared with 
seed treated in the usual 
se Se A: a manner, as they were 
we Via subjected to a tempera- 
Pe wes ture of 21° C., in the 
the respirometer test. 
The oxygen absorp- 
tion seemed to be prac- 
ae 3 a period that germination 
é oe was attempted before 
93 
. 
_— 
+. 
AEN 
tically the same for seeds 
seared dry one month 
before testing, and those 
seared after one night of 
soaking in the ice box, 
just previous to placing 
eee 10 Hours 30 
in the respirometer. 
* . . . i 
Fic. 10.—Comparative rates of oxygen absorp- The similarity mm germ 
tion for tame and wild oats in terms of cc. perhour, native behavior of the 
per gm. dry weight; Avena sativaindicatedbyT,and seeds treated in these 
Avena fatua by W; rates for intact seeds, solid line: : 
: , ; noted 
for seared seeds, broken line. two ways has been 
above. Other workers 
(6, 58, 62) have studied the influence of wounding on respiration 
as measured by the resultant carbon dioxide releasal. JUNITZKEY 
(40) holds that oxygen absorption and carbon dioxide releasal may 
be phenomena independent of each other. In any case, We Me 
concerned here only with the direct rate of oxygen absorption 
by the seed as bearing on the problem of germination. For this 
oS 
