21 



the larger seeds were possessed of greater inherent strength than the 

 smaller, the number of seeds growing from each lot being 480, 478, 

 and 423 respectively. The yield in peas, pods and vines, taken sepa- 

 rately or together, and estimated p^r plant or as total weight, gave the 

 largest figures for the product of the largest sead, and intermediate 

 figures for the product of the medium seed. (See tables IY. & VII [.) 



An experiment in this line with corn was conducted by the writer 

 in 1889. Thirty kernels from a single ear of white dent corn were 

 separately weighed of which six grew that were over 400 milligrams 

 €ach, and nine that were under 300 milligrams each. The product of 

 these fifteen plants gave a greater average weight of ears for the large 

 than for the small seed, which was also true of the cobs and kernels 

 taken separately. (See table Y.) 



Thus far, we have given the results of experiments in all of which 

 the seed was provided the same ground space, without regard to size, 

 and the data show that the large seeds give larger returns than the 

 small seeds, 



It would be natural to suppose that if the small seeds were placed 

 correspondingly closer together, or in other worls, if the seeds were 

 planted according to weight instead of numb ar, th s results might bs 

 reversed. For it is evident that the same weight or measure of seed 

 will cont nn a much larger number in case of small seeds than of large, 

 and in planting the small seeds will require less ground area for de- 

 velopment, and consequently a greater number of plants can mature 

 upon an eq al space 



This phase of the question has been tested by Lehmann. He 

 planted 188 grams each of large, medium and small peas upon equal 

 sized plots cf ground, and although there were twice as ma ay small 

 seeds as large, and nearly once and a half as many medium seeds as 

 large, still the harvest was greatly in favour of the larger seeds, both 

 per area and per plant. (Data in table VI., page 25) 



A practical lesson is very pointeily brought out here, that in sowing 

 farm seeds the amount of the harvest depends quite as much, and it 

 may be more, upon the quality (size) of the individual seeds as upon 

 the weight or measure sown per acre. 



Is it not apparent that large seeds show great superiority over small 

 seeds in numerous requirements that enter into successful plant life ? 

 In the first place, a larger proportion germinate, and this evidence of 

 the possession of greater strength is followed up by more vigorous 

 growth and the display of increased capacity for overcoming obstacles. 



The resulting plants attain to greater development, as the size of 

 leaf, leng h of stem and weight of any part or of the whole plant 

 abundantly proves. It is especially noticeable that in this display of 

 greater vigour both vegetative and reproductive parts are benefited ; 

 and while the individual plants are making a more successful fight 

 in promoting their present welfare, they are enabled to provide more 

 abundantly for the next generation, by producing a better crop of seeds. 



Although the proposition in relation to size of seed, with which we 

 started, has been illustrated and established so far as present space 

 permits, yet in order to compare more fully the tendency of the pow- 

 ers of the plant derived from the two sources which for conve- 

 nience we may call acquired and hereditary, the former coming from 



