S toward. — On Endospermic Respiration in Certain Seeds. 441 
A respiration experiment with these endosperms yielded the following 
results — 
No. of 
endosperms. 
Wt. grains. 
Vol. c.c. 
Temp. C. 
Time. 
00 2 %• 
02%. 
20 
1.261 
3 
1 6° 
3^ hours 
0*00 
19.64 
27 
1 6° 
26 „ 
0*00 
I 9 , °5 
I 5 ° 
50 » 
0-00 
j 8 , 54 
These experiments indicate that under equal external conditions 
less water is absorbed by endosperms steeped in saturated aqueous 
chloroform than in water, the difference ranging from 3 % to 8 % in favour 
of water. 
When the concentration of the chloroform is increased, as the following 
experiment shows, the amount of water absorbed diminishes. 
Endosperms of Hordeum steeped in Aqueous Chloroform 
of Different Concentrations. 
No. of 
endosperms. 
Hours. 
Medium. 
% of medium 
imbibed. 
% difference 
in favour of 
water. 
20 
24 
Water 
43°3 
~ 
20 
24 
\ sat. aq. chloroform 
4i'3i 
1.72 
20 
24 
Sat. aq. chloroform 
40.97 
2*36 
It appears probable, in view of the recent work of A. J. Brown (11), 
that we are concerned here with the influence exerted by the selective 
membrane existing in the spermoderm of the barley endosperm, on the 
entry of the solvent into its tissues. 
That some chloroform does penetrate into the endosperm, either by 
way of the exposed amyliferous cells at the proximal end of the endosperm, 
or eventually through the spermoderm and aleurone cells, is conceivable, 
in spite of the fact that detection of chloroform by the sense of smell fails. 
Obviously it does not enter in sufficient amount to exercise any very 
toxic influence on either the aleurone or amyliferous cells, or, if we regard 
the respiratory activity of the latter as being due to residual respiratory 
enzymes (produced during the anti-resting period of the seed), on these ; 
for experiments with pure endosperms of Hordeum clearly show that, 
whether their respiratory activity be due to either living functioning proto- 
plasm or residual respiratory enzymes, or to both, no production of C 0 2 
ensues with this material after twenty-four hours’ immersion in this medium. 
In the case of the endosperm of Zea there appears to be every facility 
for the entry of the reagent in quantities which are distinctly toxic ; and 
here no respiratory exchanges were observed. 
