SEED GERMINATION 



65 



full of fresh water. Fill another with water which has 

 been boiled for several minutes to drive out the oxygen. 

 As soon as the boiled water has reached about the same 

 temperature as the other, drop a few seeds of rough rice 

 — i.e., rice as it comes from the fields, having the hulls 

 still on it ^ into each jar. Pour a few drops of machine 

 or other oil on the surface of the boiled water, to prevent 

 any oxygen from entering the water in this jar. Set the 

 two jars aside in a 

 warm place for a week tr-r^ 

 or more ; then observe 

 which seeds have made 

 the better growth. 



C onclusions. — 

 Write briefly in your 

 own words what has 

 taken place in each 

 jar. Why do you 

 think the seeds in one 

 jar have made a better 

 growth than those in 

 the other? 



Fig. 19. — Rice in boiled and unboiled 



When we speak of water. 



oxygen, we must think 



of the air, for oxygen is a part of the air. (See Section 15.) 

 Review Exercises 10 and 11. Tell four ways by which 

 a farmer may make it possible for a generous supply of 

 oxygen to reach the planted seed. (See Section 17.) 



47. Moisture and Germination. — There are a few 

 kinds of seed, which, like that of the rice, will germinate 

 under water ; a few will germinate in the desert countries 

 with very little water; the majority of seeds, however, 

 germinate and make their best growth with a moderate 



