1g2t] CHOATE—WHEAT GERMINATION 413 
Oxidizing enzymes.—As in the endosperm, oxidase is lacking, 
but peroxidase and catalase are present. 
Minerals.—Potassium and magnesium are present in consider- 
able quantities. Calcium and phosphates could not definitely be 
identified, although undoubtedly present. Iron is found in abun- 
dance in the cells just under the epithelial layer. Sulphur could 
not be detected by any known microchemical methods. | 
GERMINATING GRAIN 
Carbohydrates—No change is apparent in the contents of the 
grain (aside from the swelling due to absorption of water and 
softening of the tissues) until 10-12 hours after the material has 
been put into germinating dishes. At this time dextrin appears 
in the scutellum and coleorhiza, and starch in the root cap. At 
about the same time dextrin appears in the coleoptile and shortly 
afterward in the plumule. After 12 hours reducing sugar is found 
in the coleorhiza and appears also in the root, endosperm, coleoptile, 
plumule, and scutellum by the end of 24, 36, 48, and 96 hours 
respectively. After the appearance of the sugar in the coleorhiza 
and coleoptile, the amount of dextrin present decreases and the 
amount of sugar increases. In the root the amount of sugar 
increases up to the fourth day, after which the sugar content does 
not increase proportionately with the increase in the root tissue. 
At all times it is found most abundantly in the zone of the root 
hairs. In the endosperm reducing sugar is first found near the 
basal end of the embryo, but eventually is found throughout the 
whole tissue. All tests indicate that this reducing sugar is glucose. 
At the end of seven days starch is still present in the greatly dis- 
organized endosperm, although practically all the grains still 
remaining show marked corrosion. A summary of this micro- 
chemical study will be found in table I. 
The following quantitative study of the sugars in germinating 
wheat made by LeCierc and BREAZEALE (14) is of interest in 
checking up these microchemical findings. As the seedlings 
studied by these investigators were apparently grown in the light, 
photosynthesis may have influenced the result, although within 
the period of only seven days this would hardly be an appreciable 
