﻿IO FIELD AND FOREST. 



exposure to the action of fire, * or of any agent likely to injure their 

 vitality, and to the eye they looked almost as if fresh, the shape and 

 appearance being perfectly preserved. But the least pressure showed 

 the albumen and embryo were quite gone, leaving nothing but the in 

 tegument or testa, and a trace of dust, so that there was no possibility 

 of their germination. 



Perhaps we may summarize our present knowledge on this subject as 

 follows. It is established by direct experiment that under ordinary con- 

 ditions of preservation most seeds lose their vitality in three years or- 

 less, in some kinds vitality has been retained for 43 years, the Legitm- 

 inosce being the longest lived. There are two instances which appear 

 to be well authenticated of the growth of seeds taken from tombs 

 which were several hundred years old. 



The theory of the preservation of vitality in seeds depends on whether 

 we consider the seed merely as a definite chemical compound in which 

 it is possible to suspend all molecular change, or whether we believe it 

 a necessary condition of the continuance of its vitality that the processes 

 which are to result in germination must continually go on with a rapid- 

 ity determined by warmth light &c. 



If the latter view be accepted it is clear that the life of seeds must have 

 a limit, and the experiments which have been tried might be consider- 

 ed as going far to establish its duration. 



If on the other hand the first be considered a correct view it is only 

 necessary to determine the conditions which arrest molecular change, 

 to render its duration unlimited. 



In the cases where it is alleged seeds have been preserved for centu- 

 ries, they have been buried so far below the surface as to almost 

 entirely remove them from the effect of variations in temperature or 

 moisture, or any action ot the sun's rays. This has not always been 

 the case in experiments, and so far they are not conclusive. But the 

 extreme difficulty of preserving absolute uniformity in the surrounding 

 conditions seems to us an obvious reason why the life of seeds is not 

 prolonged. 



Wm. H. Seaman. 



* These Indians are said to have practiced cremation. Perhaps these seeds were 

 placed by the ashes of the corpse. 



