328 [ AssEMBLY, No. 33.! 
acclimation, as we were careful to inclose the flower heads intended 
for seed in mosquito netting to prevent cross-fertilization. 
The Influence of Early and Late Settings upon the Number of 
Leaves formed. 
In order to note the influence of early and late setting upon the 
number of leaves formed, we set out one short row of plants of the 
Brand variety on June 6, a second June 13, a third June 25, and a 
fourth July 5. The result shows that the number of leaves was 
greatest on the later plants. Thus seven plants set June 6 averaged 
eleven and one-seventh leaves per plant, six plants set June 13 aver- 
aged twelve leaves per plant, eight plants set June 25 averaged four- 
teen and five-eighths leaves per plant, and eight plants set July 5_ 
averaged fifteen and three-eighths per plant. Notwithstanding the _ 
larger number of leaves in the later set plants, the growth was de- 
cidedly larger in those set early. 
Tue JNFLUENCE oF THE SEED Coat Upon GERMINATION. 
We have frequently noted, both-in our own experiments and in 
those of others, that peas injured by the pea-weevi] usually germin- 
ate, if at all, somewhat sooner than uninjured seeds. This fact 
suggested the question whether this result may not be due to the 
mutilation of the seed-coat, which thus permits the more ready 
access of moisture to the interior of the seed. With the view of 
answering this question, at least in part, we set to germinate on 
January 2, 1884, forty Black Wax beans, having the seed-coat 
slightly mutilated on the side opposite the hilum ; forty of the same 
having the seed-coat mutilated in the same way, but afterward 
greased with tallow, to retard the absorption of moisture; forty with 
the seed-coat unmutilated, and finally, forty with the seed-coat un- 
mutilated, but greased all over with tallow. 
The results were as follows: sts 
Had germ- Had germ- Had germ- 
Set to germinate January 2. - inated inated inated 
January 7, January 9. January 10, 
First row seed-coat mutilated...... 23 30 37 
Second row seed-coat mutilated, but 
DTCASEUG ramets on tema h sevice sees 10 25 35 
Third row seed-coat not mutilated .. 18 28 40 
Fourth row seed-coat not mutilated, 
but greased 2.2 te eee mesa ee 4 29 
In this experiment it appears that mutilating the seed-coat 
hastened the germination, and that greasing the seed-coat retarded 
germination, especially when the seed-coat was left entire. This 
suggests that in seeds of which the outer coat is of a nature that 
tends to retard the absorption of water, the time required for ger- 
mination may be somewhat shortened by removing a portion of the 
seed-coat before planting. 
