1909.] Latent Life of Resting Seeds. 



Germination Table B. (Barley, Oats, Maize, and Rye.) 



419 



Kind of seed. 



Barley 

 Oats .. 



S» 

 J) 



1J 



Maize 

 Eye 



Age. 



Percentage 

 germinated. 



... 

 iriace 01 origin. 



14^ years 



100 



"Victoria. 



24- „ 



100 





44 „ 



72 





4i „ 



54 



New South Wales. 



81 „ 



18 



Victoria. 



10* „ 









i* „ 



96 





2* „ 



80 



)3 



H „ 



68 



J) 



3 t » 



56 



J) 



6 months 







JJ 



100 



JJ 



44; years 



60 



New South Wales. 



6 months 



100 



Victoria. 



44; years 



32 













In those .cases in which different samples of Victorian seeds of the same 

 age were experimented with, the average number which germinated is given 

 in the tables. The majority of the seeds were sent in cotton bags, and the 

 method in which they had been stored was not stated. In the case of 

 wheat, however, taking for granted similar conditions of storage, the fact 

 that the South Australian specimens retained their germination capacity 

 for a longer period than the Victorian specimens, and the Victorian 

 specimens retained it longer than those from New South Wales, shows that 

 the drier the climate the longer is the life of the seed. On further reference 

 to the wheat table, it appears that there is a well-marked drop in the 

 germinating power of the grains after about the fourth year, and from 

 thence it descends more or less irregularly, reaching zero in 11 to 17 years, 

 according to the character of the sample and the conditions of storage. 



2. The Relation between the Longevity of Seeds and their Contained Ferments. 



The investigations were carried out with seeds freshly harvested and with 

 stored seeds which had lost the faculty of germination. 



The object of these investigations was to determine, as has been previously 

 stated from time to time by different authorities, whether the loss of the 

 germinating power was concomitant with, and caused by, or in any way 

 related to, the disappearance of the capability of enzyme action in the seed. 



The seeds used were wheat (Triticum vulgare), barley {Hordeum sativum), 

 oats (Avena sativa), maize {Zea mais), and rye (Secale cereale). 



In every instance, except in the maize, seeds were employed in which the 



