jan. 13,1933 Forcing the Germination of Freshly Harvested Wheat 87 
The same weight of raw cotton was used as of the Johnson & Johnson 
cotton (1.8 gr. in each dish). Into this was carefully worked as much 
water as it could be made to hold, and the excess was then squeezed out 
and poured off. The amount retained could not be accurately deter¬ 
mined but was about 10 cc. in each dish. 
Table IV gives the result of the germination tests at 20° C. Fifty 
seeds were used in each test. 
With barley and oats concurrent tests were made at io°, 13 0 17 0 , 
and 25 0 C. The best results, especially as to rapidity of germination, 
were obtained between saturated blotters and on top of the super¬ 
saturated absorbent cotton. Raw cotton and the only partially satu¬ 
rated absorbent cotton gave very poor results. In additional tests upon 
absorbent cotton using somewhat more than 17 cc. of water, the harm- 
full effects of flooding the grain ’with an excess of water became evident* 
The quantity used should not be enough so that any can be easily poured 
off from the Petri dishes, and the grains should be allowed to rest lightly 
upon the cotton instead of being pressed into it so that the water sur¬ 
rounds them. 
The wheat was less sensitive to moisture conditions than the oats 
and barley, and the results were conflicting. Some other samples, tested 
at other times, seemed to be more sensitive than the one used in this 
series, and the optimal moisture conditions were the same as for oats 
and barley. 
In germination tests at io°, 13 0 , and i7°C.,the percentage of germi¬ 
nation varied less, according to seed bed and amount of moisture used, 
than at 20°, being between 90 per cent and 100 per cent in nearly all 
cases. The relation between moisture supply and rapidity of germina¬ 
tion, however, was the same as at 20°, germination being most rapid 
between blotters and on top of supersaturated absorbent cotton and 
least rapid on raw cotton and partially saturated absorbent cotton. 
At 25 0 germination was very poor and the effect of moisture supply 
was greater than at 20°. 
At all temperatures, the best root development was obtained between 
blotters and the most rapid epicotyl development on top of supersatu¬ 
rated absorbent cotton. 
TablS IV.— Germination at 20 ° C. on different seed beds and with varying amounts of 
moisture 
Seed bed. 
Cc. water. 
Percentage germinated. 
Wheat. 
Barley. 
Oats. 
3 
days. 
5 
days. 
8 
days. 
3 
days. 
1 
5 ! 
days. 
8 
days. 
3 
days. 
5 
days. 
8 
days. 
On top of blotters .... 
I 3 “ J 4 - 5 
36 
76 
80 
20 
1 
40 
40 
24 
92 
92 
Between blotters. 
12-13- 5 
5<5 
76 
82 
28 
68 
72 
58 
88 
92 
Raw cotton. 
a 10 
22 
84 
92 
4 
32 
32 
16 
76 
76 
J. & J. cotton. 
17 
58 
88 
92 
60 
64 
64 
48 
92 
92 
J. & J. cotton. 
ri 
46 
88 
88 
16 
52 
52 
24 
72 
84 
J. & J. cotton. 
9 
64 
90 
94 
4 
32 
32 
16 
80 
88 
a About. 
