424 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XI, No. 9 
tions were made, the amount of sodium cyanid being reduced one-half in 
each succeeding culture, No. 16 being a control of pure water. The first 
tumbler contained 2.3485 gm. of sodium cyanid to the liter, approximately 
a 1.15 per cent solution of hydrocyanic acid, or 0.704 per cent hydro¬ 
cyanic-acid gas in the air above the liquid. The seeds were placed in the 
glasses and allowed to remain for 48 hours before the first reading was 
taken. At this time most of the unsprouted seeds were removed from 
the first 10 solutions and placed in swings similar to those above described, 
but in pure water. The record for these is found in Table III under the 
heading "Removed from solution.” In the first column will be found 
the amount of sodium cyanid used in making the hydrocyanic-acid gas 
solutions; the second column gives the record of the seeds remaining 
in the solution; and the third column the record of the seeds removed 
after remaining 48 hours in the hydrocyanic-acid gas solution. 
Table III .—Summary of germination tests 11 days after planting 
Sodium cyanid 
in x liter. 
Percentage of sprouted 
seeds— 
Sodium cyanid 
in x liter. 
Percentage of sprouted 
seeds— 
Remaining 
in solution. 
Removed 
from solution 
after 48 hours. 
Remaining 
in solution. 
Removed 
from solution 
after 48 hours. 
Gm. 
2. 348s 
I. 1742 
• 5871 
•293S 
• 1467 
•0733 
. O366 
. 0183 
Per cent. 
O. O 
. O 
25.O 
25.O 
55*1 
43-3 
76. 1 
88. 7 
Per cent. 
1-25 
13.OO 
27. 30 
57.60 
80. 60 
79. OO 
98. OO 
86. 00 
Gm. 
O. OO91 
.0045 
. 0022 
. OOII 
. OOO56 
. 00028 
. 00014 
Water. 
Per cent. 
98.7 
92. O 
97*7 
100. 0 
98. 2 
97.0 
99.0 
9i*S 
Per cent. 
90. OO 
66. 00 
In the record of the seeds removed from the hydrocyanic-acid gas 
solutions it will be seen that a very large percentage germinated except 
in the very strongest solutions. The germination record of those re¬ 
maining in the original solution is much lower; thus showing that the 
seeds removed were only retarded in their germination by the action of 
the strong hydrocyanic-acid gas solution. In practical work, with 
hydrocyanic-acid gas in the soil, where no attempt would be made to 
hold the concentration of gas at a high point for a week or more, the 
dangerous stage might soon be past and we would have instead a stimu¬ 
lating effect. It will be noticed that the maximum acceleration came 
at different points in the two methods of treatment—0.0011 gm. of 
sodium cyanid per liter (equivalent to 0.00033 per cent of hydrocyanic- 
acid gas over the solution) when the seeds remained in the solution 11 
days, and 0.0366 gm. of sodium cyanid per liter (equivalent to 0.0109 
per cent of hydrocyanic-acid gas over the solution) for the seeds moistened 
for only 48 hours and then placed in pure water. The most striking 
