t921] GARDNER—GERMINATION 275 
germination. Seeds of each kind were soaked in acetone for 1 = 30. 
and 60 minutes respectively, air dried for two hours, and placed 
under favorable conditions for germination in darkness. At the 
end of 8 days of incubation (in darkness) the seeds were placed in 
light for 8 days, where none of them germinated. Other seeds 
were similarly treated with alcohol with similar results. A few 
seeds of Daucus Carota and Ocenothera biennis survived the alcohol 
treatment and germinated in light and darkness. Other seeds were 
treated with ether, as indicated in table XVI. 
The results show no promotion of germination of light-sensitive 
seeds in darkness when treated with lipoid solvents, but rather show 
inhibition or diminution of subsequent germination in light. This 
1s especially true for acetone and alcohol. Ether inhibited germina- 
TABLE XVI 
SOAKED IN ETHER SOAKED IN ETHER SOAKED IN ETHER 
SEEDS 60 MINUTES 
Darkness Light Darkness Light | Darkness Light 
Verbascum Thapsus...... ° 28 ° 3° ° ° 
Rumex crispus........... fs) 35 3 
Daucus Carota.........; 15 17 17 17 12 = 
enothera biennis........ ° 76 ° 74 ° 62 
Nicotiana Tabacum....... ° 43 ° 64 ° 31 
tion in darkness of all seeds except Daucus Carota, and diminished 
the subsequent germination in light of seeds of Verbascum Thapsus, 
Rumex crispus, and Nicotiana Tabacum. Ether treatment did not 
affect the subsequent germination of seeds of Oenothera biennis in 
light. 
Microchemistry 
In an attempt to find the substance responding to the action 
of light, an examination of the seeds was undertaken by micro- 
chemical methods suggested by ECKERSON (9), and the nature and 
distribution of the different structural and nutritive materials were 
determined. Much of the information thus obtained has no evi- 
dent bearing on the problem of light germination and may best be 
Presented in a separate publication. Some of the substances and 
conditions in these seeds which may function in light germination 
are fat, suberin, starch, and reaction. 
