464 
EDWARD F. WOODCOCK 
Spring directly from the hypocotyl without developing distinct 
petioles. 
Germination of Certain Polygonaceae 
These investigations were carried on in order to gain a knowledge 
of the fate of the embryo, starchy endosperm, and aleurone layer in 
the mature seed during germination. Most of the seeds were ger- 
minated between wet filter papers, a few, however, were placed in the 
soil. The latter were used in determining the relation of the very 
young seedling to the surface of the soil. The material, on which the 
study of the changes occurring in the germinating seeds was carried 
on, was cut in sections 18-22 /x in thickness and stained with Delafield's 
haematoxylon and orange G. 
Rumex crispus 
The seed shows no external change during the first two days, but 
significant internal changes are occurring. The cells of the thickened 
micropylar region of the aleurone layer first show very great activity. 
In the ungerminated seed the entire layer is made up of short prismatic 
cells, containing large nuclei and filled with deeply staining cytoplasm. 
The cells of the micropylar portion now become much enlarged and 
numerous fine granules appear scattered quite uniformly through the 
fine alveolar cytoplasm. In certain seeds the granules were surrounded 
by a clear liquid. This increase in size of the cells is brought about 
not only by osmotic pressure but also by an actual increase of cell 
wall structure. 
It is quite probable that the occurrence of these granules in the 
cytoplasm of the aleurone layer is associated with the secretion of a 
digestive ferment as is true in the digestive cells of certain other seeds 
and in the digestive glands of animals. Brown and Morris (3), 
through observation on the changes in the scutellar epithelium of the 
barley grain, find that their thin-walled, columnar cells in the process 
of germination undergo a significant change. Before germination 
begins, the cell contents are finely granular and the large, elliptical 
nucleus lies near the base of the cell with its longer dimensions across 
the cell. Within a few hours after germination begins the very fine 
granules in the protoplasm become much larger and coarser and in- 
crease in number to such an extent that the formerly conspicuous 
nucleus is almost obscured. This granularity is maintained until 
