10 



water absorbed. The results (table 4) show that the chemical 

 composition has little or none effect on the amount of water 

 absorbed. 



Rate of Absorption. 

 The tables 1 - 4 in the preceeding experiment incidentally 

 show the rate of absorption of corn. This is more fully inves- 

 tigated under the present head, and peas and lupines were taken 

 for comparison. 



Com, peas, and lupines were weighed and placed in separate 

 bottles (five seeds per bottle) containing cistern water. Two 

 sets were treated alike except one set was started to soak at 

 6:00 P.M. and the other just twelve hours later. When the sec- 

 ond set had been in the water four hours all seeds were wiped 

 dry and weighed; this gave the weight and the gain after six- 

 teen hours immersion. Four hours later all were weighed again, 

 which gave the gain in twenty, and in eight hours f Four hours 

 later the gain in twenty four, and in twelve hours was deter- 

 mined. This process, this far, gives results equal to taking 

 only one 3et and weighing every four hours during a complete 

 day of twenty four hours. The weighing was done at 10:00 A.M. 

 2:00 P.M., and at 6:00 P.M. each day. It must be stated here 

 that those seeds which were placed in water first were at a 

 lower temperature during their first twelve hours of soaking 



