416 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [JUNE 
present in all parts. In view of the increasing interest in the 
question of catalase activity, quantitative determinations were 
made on the seedlings on each successive day of the germination 
period. The method employed was 
that of APPLEMAN (1, 2) as used 
by Jones (13). In each instance 
three sets of 5 grains each were 
used. The air-dry weight of each 
set was determined; one set was 
G2escuen then used for determining the final 
dry weight, and duplicate determi- 
pees a ; nations were made on the other 
earrcnoee H two, the results of which are given 
a= in table III. This shows that there 
is a marked and continuous increase 
ey in the catalytic activity of the 
poe FR \ seedlings during the first seven days 
toch ] ee of germination. Within the past 
Ber \ NS : few years investigations upon both 
Fig we AY plants and animals have shown a 
\ striking relation between the rate 
Jiscrrcen-- 2X ) of catalytic activity and that of 
ee respiration. BuRGE (7) showed a 
Fic. 1.—Longitudinal section of marked correspandence a 
grain of wheat: a, pericarp and testa; the amount of catalase in different 
b, suberized nucellar tissue; c, furrow musclesof the body and the amount 
in grain; d, aleurone layer; e, starchy of work done by these muscles, 
endosperm; f, scutellum; g, epitheilal 
layer; h, coleoptile; i, plumule; 7, hypo- and APPLEMAN (1, 2) has shown a 
cotyl; k, root cap; 1, coleorhiza. direct increase in the catalase con- 
tent in potatoes and corn with an 
increase in the respiration. RiscHavi’s (18) standard work has 
given excellent data on the respiration of wheat as indicated by 
the release of CO, during a period of 21 days. Text fig. 2 shows 
the comparative curves of the rate of respiration as plotted from 
RiscHAvi’s figures for the first seven days, and that of catalytic 
activity during a similar period from the figures obtained as given 
in table III. As in the investigations cited, there is here a close 
parallel between respiratory activity and catalytic activity. 
