24 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
The wheat dressed with bluestone, CuSO4, was later in coming up than ~ 
the rest. There was hardly any perceptible difference in height between the 
lots when counted six weeks later. 
As it was thought that the weaker dressings, such as CuSO4, 1.25 per cent. 
might kill grains with a damaged husk only, experiments were undertaken to 
see what effect solutions would have on sound and damaged grain. Two lots 
were taken, 25 seeds in each. In one lot every grain of wheat was pricked with 
a needle (the needle being driven right through the endosperm, in many cases 
splitting the grain). The other lot was examined to see if the grains were all 
sound. Both lots were then dressed with CuSQ4, 1.25 per cent., put in watch 
glasses in a damp chamber, and allowed to germinate, with the following re- 
sult :— Pricked, 75 per cent. germinated ; unpricked, 95 per cent. germinated. 
From this it will be seen that bluestone, CuSOQ4, does kill cracked grains in 
preference to sound ones, as corresponding experiments on pricked and on un- 
pricked grains which were left undressed show that the pricking itself does not 
in the least affect the germinating power. 
III.—Norte on Dressinc GRAIN.—By R. von LENDENFELD, Ph. D., anp W. 
GARDNER. 
The experiments of several biologists, and lately, in particular, those of 
Tyndall, show that germs, that is spores of Schizomycete and other fungi,.are not 
killed by heat a little over boiling point, or by intense cold, or by the influence 
of poison, as long as they are dry. But these spores lose their germinating 
power if treated as above in a damp state, or rather after having been damp for 
some time. The reason for this appears to be that these obnoxious influences 
kill the spores only when the latter have commenced germinating, and have split 
the husk and imbibed water. ' ; 
Following up this, we made experiments with bluestone, shown to be the 
most effective dressing material by D. Murray, and found that a better result 
could be attained in killing smut if the wheat was left in a damp state for five or 
six hours before being dressed, 
Two lots of wheat, 100 grains of each, were well rubbed up with smut balls 
and then,moistened. One lot was dressed with a very weak solution of blue- 
stone immediately, and the other kept in a damp chamber for six hours and 
then dressed with the same solution, The result was as follows :—Wheat 
dressed dry—smut killed on 60 per cent.; wheat dressed after six hours 
in damp chamber—smut killed on 100 per cent. It appears, therefore, 
that in dressing with bluestone, and probably also in dressing with other sub- 
stances, it is advantageous to moisten the grain from six to twelve hours before 
dressing. On the-other hand, a weaker solution, which will not affect the wheat 
so much, can be used on moistened wheat with the same effect as a stronger 
solution on dry wheat. ; 
IV-—Tue InsurED Husk In WueEaAt.—By A. BIrRpDLIna. 
Other experiments have shown that wheat, the husk of which has been in- 
jured, is more liable to be affected by the dressing material than such as has a 
sound and water-tight husk. To ascertain whether the husk of any wheat was 
injured iodine solution was used. It is very difficult, and by no means con- 
clusive, to examine the grain under the microscope, whilst the iodine test is as 
easy as it is sure. The wheat was soaked in water for 30 minutes, and then in 
a solution of iodine in alcohol for two or three hours. Washed again and dried, 
this wheat was sufficiently affected by iodine. Through cracks, hardly percep- 
tible even with the microscope, the iodine had penetrated, and the starch in 
those places was dark blue. The iodine also penetrated through the thin parts 
of the husk where the embryo lies. It appears clear that the cracks in the husk 
are formed in the threshing, different wheats of course being differently affected 
by the machine. 
Three samples of wheat threshed with a “Clayton and Shuttleworth” have 
been tested with iodine, with the following result :—White Tuscan, 6 per cent. 
seeds cracked ; Russian wheat, 18 per cent. seeds cracked ; rough chaff, 10 per 
cent. seeds cracked. 
V.—Nores ON THE MicroscopicaL Structure oF WHEAT, BARLEY, &0.— 
By — ELLIs. : 
The grain was left in absolute alcohol for a week, to extract any moisture 
that might have been contained therein, and was then placed in turpentine, In 
two days the turpentine had replaced the alcohol, which had extracted the water 
and filled the places formerly occupied by air, 
