2 BULLETIN 1011, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
similar experiments with, maize embryos from which the plumules 
had been dissected, he succeeded in obtaining an extensive develop- 
ment of adventitious roots, but without the appearance of chloro- 
phyll in the scutellum and without any extension of that organ or 
the formation of adventitious buds. Plants more than a month old 
showed an excellent system of roots but were without stem or leaves. 
The isolated scutellum was incapable of independent growth. 
Blociszewski (2), in experiments with maize, rye, oats, clover, peas, 
and lupines, found the isolated cotyledons were capable of inde- 
pendent growth but formed only roots. Only that portion of the 
cotyledon to which the embryonic plant had been attached formed 
roots. Plants from isolated embryos were weak in the early stages 
of growth, but developed normally as soon as favorable conditions 
prevailed and were scarcely distinguishable from plants from entire 
seeds. 
Wollny (9) conducted both laboratory and field experiments with 
peas, vetches, and rye. The field experiments are of special interest 
because they were conducted under ordinary agricultural conditions 
and were carried through to the maturity of the plants. He found 
that the removal of one-third to two-thirds of the cotyledons or 
endosperm of the seeds decreased the growth and yield of the plants. 
The reduction in growth and in yield was in direct proportion to the 
amount of food reserves removed from the seeds. 
Stingl (6), working with rye, wheat, oats ; and barley, found that 
the isolated embryos did not develop into normal plants. Artificially 
nourished embryos generally -did not develop so well as plants grown 
from normal seeds. In general, oat endosperms used as nutriment for 
rye, wheat, and barley embryos exercised an unfavorable influence, 
whereas in no instance was a like unfavorable influence observed 
when oat embryos were nourished with endosperms of rye, wheat, 
and barley. 
Delassus (3), experimenting with beans, vetch, and lupines, from 
which he removed various proportions of the cotyledons, obtained 
results similar to those of Wollny. The height of plants, the num- 
ber and dimensions of the leaves, the number of flowers per foot of 
vine, and the number and size of fruits were all reduced. The disease 
resistance was lessened. 
Dubard and Urbain (4) concluded from their experiments with 
the castor bean, maize, beans, and carrot that the albumen is never 
indispensable to the development of the young plant. Nevertheless, 
the influence of the albumen is favorable and appears to be particu- 
larly useful during the first days of germination. 
Urbain (7) describes in detail experiments with Ricinus, Nigella, 
and Papaver and states that other experiments with maize and oats 
gave analogous results. He summarizes the effects of suppressing 
