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were subjected for different lengths of time to a saturated or 

 partially saturated atmospliere of ether. Cultures of Funaria 

 spores were allowed to remain in the dark for twenty-four 

 hours, in order that they might be in a moist condition, and 

 then placed in an ether atmosphere. In the first case they 

 were exposed to the ether atmosphere for one hour, in the 

 next two hours, and in the next three hours. Two cultures 

 were used in each case and as soon as they were removed 

 from the ether atmosphere, one was placed in the light and 

 the other in the dark Chamber. The control experiments in 

 the light showed that in the experiments to which a two 

 and three hours exposure to ether was given, that germination 

 did not take place, and hence that the spores had been killed 

 by the strong ether atmosphere. In case of the spores which 

 had been in the ether for one hour, germination occurred in 

 the light, but it was considerably retardecl. In the dark no 

 sign of germination was noted. 



From the above experiments it was quite evident that 

 too strong a dose of anaesthetic was administered, so another 

 series of experiments was conducted in which the spores were 

 subjected to an atmosphere containing less ether. In order 

 to supply the ether atmosphere, 1 part of ether was mixed 

 with 20 of water. The cultures were then exposed to this 

 atmosphere for one and three hours respectively. Those spores 

 which had been in the ether atmosphere for one hour, showed 

 a very slight retardation of germination even in the light, 

 but in the corresponding dark culture, no germination whatever 

 was noted. Those spores which had been in the ether at- 

 mosphere for three hours, showed a very marked retardation, 

 the period required for germination being extended from three 

 to ten days. Those in the dark showed no germination. 

 Another culture was treated in a slightly different way; it 

 was placed in the ether atmosphere for one hour, then in 

 the dark for twenty-four hours, then in tbe ether atmosphere 

 again for one hour, and from that time on, in the dark under 

 ordinary conditions. These cultures were kept in the dark 

 for three weeks with the complete failure of the spores to 



