1. Several authors have previously reported that the sulphuric acid treatment of the cotton seed resulted in: (a) earlier germination, (b) higher percentage of seeds germinating, (c) higher yield of seed cotton per acre, and (d) better and more uniform planting (this paper is not concerned with the disinfecting effect of this process).

2. A series of experiments, both in the laboratory and under field conditions have been carried out to determine whether the above statements are in agreement with actual experimental data.

3. In so far as the rate of germination is concerned, it was found that: (a) untreated seeds often show a smaller percentage of germination than seeds treated with sulphuric acid for various time-intervals, particularly when tested in the laboratory; (b) cotton seed treated with the reagent for from 5 min. to 2 hr. or even 5 hr. in some cases, does not show any decrease in its germinative value as determined by laboratory tests. In field trials seeds treated for 5 or 12 hr. practically do not germinate at all, whereas the 2 hr. treatment often shows a small decline in germination; (c) an enormous difference in the rate of germination has been revealed between the laboratory determinations on the one hand and the field determinations on the other.