Kusano, Further Stil dies on Aegineila indica 
295 
shown in Fig. 4, thej nltimately came to death, mainly owing to 
mould fungi or other microorganisms. 
Tlie foregoing experiments show, contrary to our natural ex- 
pectation, tliat the Stimulus necessary for tlie germination of 
Äegmetia-seed is not peculiar to particular species of plants. but 
is given by all vigorously developing roots, wbetber of Pbanero- 
gams or Vascular Cryptogams. If it be admitted tbat a Chemical 
Stimulus is concerned here, it is most probable that the stimulant 
is an excretion of the roots. The following experiments afford 
some evidence for this view. 
2. Germination of Seeds wrapped in Paper ou Pot-Plants. 
This experiment was undertaken to ascertain wbether the 
direct contact of the seed with the host-root is neccessary for ger¬ 
mination or not. The seeds were wi’apped in one or several sheets 
of well washed filter-paper and laid among the root meshes of the 
pot-plants. For Control seeds prepared in the same manner were kept 
at the same time in a meist chamber, and again unwrapped seeds were 
laid directly on the roots of the same pots. The seeds wrapped in 3—5 
sheet sof paper did not germinate about the time that the unwrapped 
seeds germinated vigorously. However those wrapped in one sheet 
and laid on Ziiigibey' and Pollia germinated partly. In the mean 
time the control seeds in the meist chamber remained entirely 
unchanged. 
From this experiment we see that direct contact of the seeds 
with the host root is by no means an indispensable condition in 
bringing them to germination, and that the germination is associated 
with a certain substance or substances excreted by the host-root 
and diffused into the surrounding medium. That the percentage 
of germination is smaUer in the case of the wrapped seeds than 
in those laid dhectly on the root, and that it becomes less with 
the increase of the sheets of paper are strong evidences that the 
amount of the dihusible substance depends upon the nature of 
medium through which it must pass to reach the seeds. 
3. Germination of Seeds without Host-Koot. 
The seeds were kept in water (tap-water or destilled water) 
or in a moist chamber. They were also sown in soil without any 
visible plant. Tn either case I was not able to observe any sign 
of germination. If such seeds were afterwards brought on the 
root of any plant, the germination took place easily. Hence it 
follows that the seed of Aegineüa always requires a Stimulus from 
the roots for germination. 
4. Germination of Seeds in Chemicals. 
This is only a preliminary experiment to find out a stimu- 
lating substance among Chemicals, and only a few substances were 
