222 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



unable to withstand the prolonged immersion in water, 

 no seedlings having a radicle only being formed. 



The effects of prolonged immersion in absolute alcohol 

 upon seeds are worthy of more detailed consideration. 

 The following table give the results arrived at by experi- 

 menting with Linseed, Barley, Wheat and Hemp. 









Absolute Alcohol. 







50 p.c. Alcohol. 





7 days. 



14 days. 



3 weeks. 



4 weeks. 



5 weeks. 



7 weeks. 



1 day. 



Linseed. 



33 p.c. 



20 p.c. 



3 p.c. 



1 p.c. 



None. 



None. 



Barley. 



90 p.c. 



45 p.c. 



40 p.c. 



16 p.c. 



6 p.c. 



None. 



None. 



Wheat. 



10 p.c. 



8 p.c. 



2 p.c. 1 p.c. 



None. 





None. 





1 day. 



2 days. 



• 











Hemp. 



None. 



None. 



None. 



The rapidity with which absolute alcohol destroys the 

 vitality of Hemp seeds is especially noticeable. The outer 

 membranous covering being discontinuous at one end offers 

 no obstacle to the passage of the alcohol, whilst the inner 

 hard sclerotic layer is distinctly porous. Any oil which 

 may permeate this layer and the inner membranous coat 

 is soon dissolved by the alcohol, which thus readily 

 penetrates to the embryo within. The oily tissues of the 

 latter offer no resistance to the passage of the alcohol and 

 hence it is that a single day's immersion is sufficient to 

 destroy the vitality of all the seeds. 



Linseed owing to the presence of an external muci- 

 laginous layer covering the seeds is enabled to withstand 

 the action of the alcohol for a much longer period but 

 once the coats have been penetrated the oily nature of the 

 central contents allows the alcohol to rapidly permeate 

 the entire embryo and to destroy its vitality. 



As compared with either Wheat or Linseed, Barley 

 shows a much greater resistant power. Its superiority 



