On the Effect of Steeping on Rice-seeds. 



BY 



T. Yokoi, Nogakushi. 

 Professor of Agriiitlture. 



When seeds are steeped in water, the nutriment they contain 

 must necessarily be more or less dissolved out, the quantity 

 dissolved being different in different kinds of seeds, the length of 

 steeping and the temperature and quantity of the water used. 

 According to an experiment of F. Haberlandt"^ the following 

 quantities of dry matter were dissolved out from various seeds, 

 during 24 hours of steeping. 



Wheat 1.14% Field bean 2.58^ 



Rye 1.35 ,, Kidney bean 6.48 ,, 



Barley 1.33 ,, Red clover ri.ii 



Oats 2.06,, Linseed 13.22 



Maize 1.05 ,, Hemp 1.09 ,, 



Pea 5.03 ,, Poppy 2.00 „ 



On the influence of temperature, A. Zoebl's experiment has 

 given the following results.^^^ 



Loss of dry sulxstance: 

 maize. barley. 



, ( in cold water of fZ. 4-34% 3-26% 

 alter 5 days, i . 



^ ^ (mwarm ,, ,, iS^^C. 5.45.. 4-52,. 



(in cold ,, ,, 7°C. 26.04,, I944 

 after 30 days, i . 00/^- 



^ ^ (in warm ,, ,, 18 C. 33-70,, 27.12,, 



(1) Der allgem. landwirthschaftl. Pflanzenbau. Wien 1879. 



(2) Ibid, and Wollny's Saat und Pflege der laiKlwirtlischaftl. Kalturpflanzen, Berlin 

 1885. It is rather remarkable that Zoebl's figures show such a regular and decisive effect of 

 the length of time on the percentage of dissolved matter. I'nfortunately we can not get 

 access to the original literature. 



