: 6 
narrow tube immersed in fresh lime-water. Every day the 
tube containing the wheat was lifted from the lime-water and 
the contents aerated for a few minutes. The water film 
which sometimes closed the mouth of the narrow tube was 
removed with blotting paper, by centrifugal force or by the 
passage of an air current across the open end of the tube. 
Result.—So far as visible evidence was concerned, dry 
dies of thirst or breathes its life away. Some seeds that we 
have tested lose their vitality at the end of one or two years; 
others, such as acacia seeds, retain their germinating quali- 
ties for years. The seeds of Goodia latifolia are credited with 
having retained vitality for 105 years. Ten years ago Pro- 
fessor A. J. Ewart, of Melbourne, gave me three seeds of 
Goodia latifolia which he said were 101 years old. One of 
the three was successfully germinated. : ; 
EXPERIMENT 2.— To demonstrate that germinating gram 
respires freely. 
.  Method.—The apparatus was arranged and manipulated 
in every particular as in Experiment 1, the only difference 
 Kesult.—The lower end of the narrow glass tubing, MES 
extended below the surface of the lime-water, and into — 
orced i 
the lime-water was f 
nce of this result may be stated thus:—The ge 
of the air enclosed with the wheat was slowly absorbed by the 
ting i as. As fast as 
ee absorbed with the formation of carbonate of lime. 
. The inference.—Germinating wheat breathes freely an 
T EXPERIMENT 3.—To prove that dry grain can be stored 
in an air-tight receptacle for a: considerable period withou 
ges : ' or germinating qualities of the gram- 
