538 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVI, No. n 
Figure i shows the observed values, together with the calculated curve 
for the shoots of large-sized beans (13.71 gm. per 50 seeds) grown at a 
constant temperature of 15 0 C. It can be seen that the agreement 
between observed and calculated values is good except for the first few 
points. The agreements between the observed and calculated values for 
the other sets of curves were as good as in the above example. In order 
to avoid the printing of tables, the individual figures observed are placed 
on file for examination in the office of the New Jersey Agricultural 
Experiment Station at New Brunswick, N. J. 
The fitted curves for the data secured for the different sizes of seeds 
and at different temperatures are presented in figure 2. The total 
averages for the seeds of different sizes grown at 5 0 and at io° C. are 
given in two curves, while the data obtained from small and from large 
seeds grown at 15 0 and at 20° are calculated separately and presented 
in different curves. 
It is apparent that almost no growth occurred at 5 0 C. The average 
growth at all sizes of seeds grown at io° C. is about the same as the growth 
produced by small seeds grown at 15 0 C. The curves for plants grown 
at 15 0 and at 20° C. show strikingly that the advantage is in favor of 
the plants grown from the heavier seeds as compared with those from 
the lighter seeds. This advantage is not only maintained throughout 
the growth period but is also augmented as time progresses. It must 
be kept in mind that the plants were grown in darkness and stopped 
growing as soon as the reserve material in the seeds was used up. The 
decrease in food material caused the plants to grow more and more 
slowly, hence the flattening of the curves. 
These results show that, photosynthesis aside, the large store of food 
in the larger seeds probably makes it possible for the plant to which they 
gave rise to obtain a relatively better start. 
The influence of temperature upon the growth curves is very pro¬ 
nounced, especially in the case of large seeds. This phenomenon might 
