EFFECTS PRODUCED BY PINK BOLLWORM ON THE YIELD OF COTTON SEED. 287 



weight evidently decreases considerably just after picking ; whether it decreases 

 further in consequence of ginning has not been examined. 



Seed that has been kept several years responds in exactly the same way to 

 humidity as seed belonging to a recent crop, as can be seen from Table IV. In 

 this case approximately equal quantities (1,000 seeds) of Sakellarides seed from the 

 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916 and 1917 crops were weighed daily. It will be seen 

 that during the ten days over which the experiment ran, considerable fluctuations 

 took place. The irregularities observed on 12th January were traced to the fact 

 that some of the samples had been exposed for a short time to the sunlight before 

 being weighed. 



Sound seed and damaged seed both behave in the same manner, as can be seen 

 from Table V, the only difference being in the extent of the fluctuations. In these 

 last weighings a progressive decrease of weight is noticeable, owing to the weather 

 becoming warmer. No loss of material was possible, as the samples were enclosed 

 in muslin bags whose weight and weight fluctuations have been allowed for. In 

 order to ascertain the limits of possible fluctuation, two sets of 100 sound Sakellarides 

 seeds were placed in desiccating dishes. With one set a beaker was enclosed 

 containing water, with the other set a beaker containing sulphuric acid. Both sets 

 were weighed daily, and the results are given in Table VI. 



Table IV. Weighings of Sakellarides Seeds from the Crops of 1912-1917. 



Date. 



Time. 



1912. 



1913. 



1914. 



1915. 



1916. 



1917. 



Combined 



1918. 



















Jan. 



















10 



10 a.m. 



106-12 



107-61 



105-10 



99-06 



102-57 



118-51 



638-97 





1 p.m. 



106-08 



107-57 



105-11 



98-94 



102-57 



118-36 



638-63 



11 



11 a.m 



106-07 



107-56 



105-10 



98-90 



102-55 



118-20 



638-38 



12 



9.15 a.m. 



105-74 



107-28 



104-78 



98-44 



102-20 



117-75 



636-19 





12.55p.m. 



105-61 



107-27 



104-75 



98-51 



102-22 



117-75 



636-11 



13 



9.25 a.m. 



105-47 



107-06 



104-54 



98-23 



101-94 



117-36 



634-60 



14 



9.0 a.m. 



105-60 



107-23 



104-77 



98-32 



102-08 



117-55 



635-55 





5.15 p.m. 



105-76 



107-35 



104-85 



98-45 



102-22 



117-66 



636-29 



15 



9.15 a.m. 



105-94 



107-46 



104-95 



98-58 



102-36 



117-78 



637-07 





4.15 p.m. 



105-89 



107-45 



104-92 



98-55 



102-30 



117-70 



636-81 



16 



9.0 a.m. 



106-08 



107-62 



105-06 



98-66 



102-45 



117-91 



637-78 





4.0 p.m. 



106- 13 



107-65 



105-10 



98-73 



102-50 



117-92 



638-03 



17 



9.0 a.m. 



106-40 



107-98 



105-54 



99-19 



102-93 



118-32 



640-36 





1.15 p.m. 



106-51 



108-07 



10561 



99-26 



103-06 



118-48 



640-99 



19 



8.50 a.m. 



106-67 



108-20 



105-68 



9935 



103-15 



118-58 



641-63 



20 



9.15 a.m. 



106-47 



108-00 



105-49 



99-10 



102-90 



118-31 



640-27 



21 



9.10 a.m. 



106-28 



107-75 



105-29 



99-01 



102-72 



118-16 



639-21 



After having been submitted to this treatment, the desiccated seed gave 57 per 

 cent, germination, the moist seed per cent. Desiccated seed takes up moisture 

 very quickly and requires quick handling in weighing if approximately correct 

 results are to be obtained. 



The fluctuations of the weight of the samples considered above had been com- 

 pared with humidity records, partly with those of the Meteorological Service, partly 

 with records taken at the time of weighing, in order to be sure that changes in 

 the atmospheric humidity were the cause of the fluctuations in the weight of the 



