812 The American Naturalist. [September, 
escens, Kcelreuteria paniculata, and Canna orientalis. An ex- 
periment in after-ripening by Lucanus,” is very instructive 
(see table II). He gathered rye in five stages of maturity, 
ranging from very small kernels, not yet milky, up to fully 
ripe kernels. Each collection was separated into four lots; in 
the first the kernels were removed from the heads at once, in 
the second, they were allowed to remain in the heads, but the 
II—WetienTt oF 1000 Atr-Dry KERNELS or Rye at DIF- 
FERENT STAGES OF MATURITY. 
Experiment conducted by Lucanus. 
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Kernels removed at once.... 10430 14655 18366 20294 2:230 
Left in theseparated heads... 1057 14830 18510 20302 22251) 
eft on cut plant 1310 
Roots in distilled water... 13790 15440 20220 21070 
heads were removed from the stalks; in the third they re- 
mained attached to the plant which was cut near the ground, 
and in the fourth the plants were pulled, the roots washed, and 
set in distilled water. A thousand air-dry seeds from each lot 
were finally weighed. In all cases the grain weighed more 
when permitted to remain in the head than when removed at 
once, still more when all the stem and leaves were attached, 
and very much more when the uprooted plant was supplied 
with water. After-ripening is thus seen to play a very import- 
ant part in the handling of immature seed. 
There is a state of over-maturity of seeds, which has impor- 
tance in this connection. It is well known that the life of the 
"L 6. 
