jan. i3.1923 Forcing the Germination of Freshly Harvested Wheat 93 
The author has found no quantitative relation between moisture con¬ 
tent and germinating capacity. For instance, some samples of wheat 
collected from the shocks with 12 to 13 per cent moisture content ger¬ 
minated well at room temperature soon after collection, before their 
moisture content had fallen appreciably, while other samples collected 
and tested at the same time under the same conditions and with the same 
moisture content at the beginning of the test germinated poorly. Under 
proper treatment or after a period of after-ripening the latter germinated 
as well as the former. 
In Table VI the germination data for a number of samples tested at the 
same time at room temperature are arranged according to the moisture 
content of the samples on moist-weight basis at the time the test was 
begun. Although there is a general falling off of germination with in¬ 
creasing water content, the water content groups overlap in regard to 
germination. All of the 11 samples falling in the last column (greater 
than .14 per cent moisture) were collected from the standing grain and 
tested within six days after collection. The relations between moisture 
content and germination are further illustrated by the data for individual 
samples in Table VII. 
RATE OF after-ripening: possible varietal DIFFERENCES 
Attberg (6) stated that cereals may pass the entire winter in ordinary 
dry storage without becoming fully ripe (using “ripe” in the sense that 
he considers after-ripening as but a continuation of normal ripening pro¬ 
cesses), and that 1 or 2 months’ drying at room temperature may be 
necessary. Kinzel (29) stated that oats reached their full germinating 
capacity in 2 months, but their full germinating energy only after 8 or 10 
months. 
Table VI. —Germination of freshly harvested cereals of different moisture content in 5 days 
at room temperature 
At moisture content of— 
10 to II 
per cent. 
11 to 12 
per cent. 
12 to 13 
per cent. 
13 to 14 
per cent. 
Greater 
than 14. 
Wheat: 
Number of samples . 
8 
6 
9 
6 
6 
Percentage of germination— 
Average. 
95 
100 
93 1 
100 
73 
100 
59 
98 
28 
26 
Maximum. 
52 
0 
Minimum. 
86 
84 
1 
26 
Oats: 
Number of samples. 
0 
3 
1 
2 
Percentage of germination — 
Average . 
70 
75 
90 
52 
1 
48 
64 
90 
38 
3 
Maximum ........... 
Minimum . 
Barley: 
Number of samples . 
0 * 
0 
2 
Percentage of germination— 
Average . 
100 
100 
II 
Maximum . 
l6 
Minimum . . 
8 
