Notes . 
429 
the former case the suppression is apt to be incomplete, or when com- 
plete to be definitive. To obtain temporary suppression it is necessary 
to choose a sufficient but not too strong exciting current, and to 
anaesthetize by ether rather than by chloroform. 
In a preceding paragraph it has been mentioned that a fresh vigorous 
seed gives a large blaze current, whereas a stale or moribund seed gives 
little or no response. The next step was obviously to compare similar 
seeds submitted to various enfeebling modifications, as well as different 
crops of similar seeds, the electrical tests being controlled by parallel 
germination tests. 
The first and most readily effected comparison is that between the 
reactions of fresh seeds and of the same seeds killed by boiling. The 
result of this comparison is unmistakable and invariable. Fresh seeds 
giving unequivocal blaze currents with an E.M.F. of o-oi to o-io volt 
give no blaze currents whatever after they have been boiled, but only 
polarization counter-current with an E.M.F. of 0-0005 to 0-0020 volt. 
The seeds upon which I have made this test have been leguminous 
seeds such as shelled beans and peas boiled in water, and the kernels 
of stoned fruits such as cherries, plums, and peaches boiled in their 
protected state. 
Table I. — Comparison between beans of the years 1895 to 1899. 
Forty-eight hours’ soakage at room temperature. Average of 10 seeds 
of each year. Germination test not made. 
1895. 
1896. 
1 897 - 
GO 
OS 
00 
1899. 
Weight of 10 seeds — 
Before soaking . . 
grammes. 
6-2 
5*8 
6.2 
3-3 
4.8 
After soaking . . 
13-9 
7.6 
12.5 
6.4 
IO -5 
Average blaze . 
0-0014 
0.0036 
0.0043 
0.0052 
0.0170 
Table II. — Twelve intact beans of 1895, soaked in water at 24 0 
for twelve hours, then laid on wet flannel in incubator for a further 
twelve hours at 24 0 , measured electrically on December 17, and 
forwarded to Kew for independent test by germination. I have to 
