472 



ON THE EFFECT OF STEEPING ON RICE-SEEDS. 



It is rather curious that our steeped seed remained without 

 germination in water with the temperature above the minimum for 

 germination so long as 31 days.'*' Indeed as has already been 

 stated, very long steeping, according to our experience, seems to 

 make the seed germinate with difificulty. We have also tested our 

 long steeped seed as to its power of germination. 200 grains each 

 of steeped seed and the seed without steeping were transfered on to 

 the Liebenberg's germination apparatus and the result was as 

 follows : — 



Number of germinated grains. 

 Dates of observation. Seed, steeped. Seed, not steeped. 



April. 



23 









24 









25 



163 







26 



13 



7 





27 



9 



84 



> > 



28 



5 



76 





29 



I 



26 





30 



2 



I 



May. 



I 



I 



I 





2 



I 







Total. 



195 



195 



From this result, it may be seen that the number of grains that 

 germinated was exactly the same in both lots ig/-S%)- But the 

 seed which had not been steeped germinated one day later and the 

 germination was at first very irregular when compared with the 

 steeped seed. This fact is undoubtedly to be attributed to the 

 difficulty with which the seed absorbs water in the apparatus, and 

 if the seed had been steeped for 24 hours or so before the e.xperi- 

 ment, the result would probably have been otherwise. However, 

 when we take number of germinated grains during the first 4 days 

 after the commencement of germination in each case, we get 190- 

 and 193, which is calculated in percentage gS% and g6.$% re- 

 sj^ectively — thus showing the germinating power slightly in favour of 

 the seed which had not been steeped. On the whole it seems that 

 though rice seed has such a remarkable power of withstanding the 

 action of water and although the result of the germination experi- 



(4) The minimum temperature for germination of rice seed, according to Haberlandt 

 is io-i2°C, and rice seed is capable of germinating under water. 



