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Observations on the VITALITY and GEKMINATION 

 of SEEDS. 



By A, J. Ewart, B.Sc, 



DEMONSTRATOR OP BOTANY IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LIVERPOOL. 



[Read 11th May, 1894.] 



The power which many seeds and spores of plants possess 

 of retaining their vitality for long periods of time under 

 the most adverse external conditions is one of the most 

 interesting phenomena connected with plant life and 

 reproduction. It has, for example, for some time been 

 known that seeds of Phanerogams as well as spores of 

 Bacteria are in many cases able to withstand prolonged 

 immersion in Absolute Alcohol. Thus De Bary mentions 

 (Lectures on Bacteria, p. 63) that spores of Bacillus 

 anthracis or seeds of Lepidium sativum will germinate 

 after as much as four weeks immersion in the above 

 reagent. 



The following experiments were performed upon seeds 

 only and were undertaken primarily with the view of 

 distinguishing between the parts played by the dead seed 

 coat and by the seed itself in the preservation of vitality. 

 As is usually the case however, during the course of the 

 investigation other phenomena needing solution presented 

 themselves. 



The first experiments were performed upon Cress seeds 

 in order to test the truth of De Bary's observation of the 

 great power of resistance shewn by these seeds to the 

 action of absolute alcohol. Cress seeds were immersed 

 in abs. alcohol for periods of 3 weeks, 4 weeks, etc., and 



