CHAPTER VIII. 

 Germination. 



Preliminary Remarks. — Seeds before being planted 

 are kept in some dry place for periods of time which are 

 very variable; until when placed in a suitable environ- 

 ment, they remain in a semi-dormant condition. Their 

 vitality manifests itself when certain conditions are ful- 

 filled; none are more impoitant than heat, moisture, 

 air and light. The germinating power of beet seeds 

 depends upon their age, and some authorities claim 

 that even after ten years'* keeping, a certain number 

 will appear above ground ; however, the resulting roots 

 would never reach their normal development. As 

 seeds retain, in the form of albumen, the requisite plant 

 food for the first few days after sprouting, it is self- 

 evident the older the seed, the greater will be the alter- 

 ations in the composition of this stored-up food, and 

 with age the vitality of the plantlet during its first 

 struggle to gain the surface becomes less. 



Heat. 



We shall not for the present consider the heat 

 of the soil as affecting germination, but heat as 

 having its influence upon the seed, as is possible to 

 determine by laboratory research. As these investiga- 

 tions are limited, it is important to place special stress 

 upon those made by Knauer. Eleven samples of lOO 

 seeds were placed in a copper receptacle heated by hot 

 air; the temperatures varied from 40 degrees C. to 120 

 degrees C. The seeds were subsequently cooled, then 



• One cannot help contracting the vitality of beet seed witli certain 

 varieties of Egyptian, which were several tliousaud years old. 



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