§2 



*Ihe Irish JVaiuralisi. 



April, 



7| inches, the soil being firmly pressed together. Other seeds 

 of the same species were mixed with soil in a small stout glass 

 bottle 3 inches long by i inch in diameter, which was then laid 

 horizontally at the same depth. The pressure of the super- 

 incumbent soil was, therefore, received by the glass of the 

 bottle. Tn both cases the seeds germinated. The same ex- 

 periments "\yere repeated at a depth of i8 inches, and after 

 seven days the seeds had germinated. 



These results have been confirmed by Dr. Duvel, of the 

 United States, one of the greatest authorities on seeds. 

 According to a summary of his results recently published^ 



germination tests were made of 112 different samples of seed 

 which had been buried in a heavy clay soil for one year. The 

 seeds were buried at the three different depths of 6-8, 18-22, 

 and 36-42 inches. The majority of the seeds retained their 

 vitality better the deeper they were buried. With but few 

 exceptions the seeds of cultivated plants had either decayed 

 or germinated and afterwards decayed at all depths. Weed 

 Seeds in some cases retained their vitality remarkably well. 

 The results indicate that the preservation of the vitality of 

 Weed seeds when buried in the soil is directly proportional to 

 the noxiousness of the plants producing them." 



I atn unable to accept Mr. Stewart's view as to the seeds of 

 annuals lying amidst the grass of a pasture field and requiring 

 the ground to be broken up before they germinate. There is 

 abundant moisture among the close blades of grass for their 

 germination, and the conditions of temperature and free access 

 of air are fulfilled. In the same field above mentioned are to 

 be found Trifolium dubium and Crepu biennis^ the seeds of 

 which germinate among the grass. 



1 desire to express my indebtedness to Miss Hensman, 

 of the Department of Agriculture, for her kind assistance in 

 the identification and germination of the seeds above 

 mentioned. 



Royal College of Science, 

 Dublin. 



Science, loth February, 1905. 



