Seed Germination.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 8 May 1914, Page 2

Seed Germination.

"Really," said Charley Casligo to his tailor, "I feel that I owe you—" "You do," interrupted the tailor. "An apology for having kept you waiting for your money so long. S o I thought I would drop round and pay you -" "Thanks." "And pay you the apology. Good day,"

REMARKABLE FIGURES

It has been said that the seed of the rrlo!:e turnip when growing increases its own weight fifteen times within a minute. The seed of this turnip is exceedingly minute, being not larger than the twentieth part of an inch in diameter, and yet in the course of a few months the seed will be developed by the soil into twenty-seven million of times the bulk of the original, and this in addition to a considerable bunch of leaves. On peat ground turnips have been found to increase by growth 15,990 times the weight of their seed each day they stood. The fungi offer an instance of remarkab-

ly rapid growth. The great puff ball will attain the size of a pumpkin in a single night, and Lindlßecalculated that the cells whereof it is composed will multiply at the rate of 60,000,000 a minute. Many seel:; germinate in a very short period—the cress in two days ; spinach, turnips and kidney beans in three days ; lettuce in four ; melons and gourds in five ; most of the grain seed in a week ; hyssop at the end of the month.' But others remain for a very long period without ' showing signs oj germination.