214 University of California Publications in Botany [yoh. 5 



found to be functionle.ss and decaying. The relatively low per 

 centage of germination in the case of old and also this year's 

 seed of i\". acicminata-yarieties is interesting in view of certain 

 experiments with this species previously reported upon (Good- 

 speed, 1912), which are still being carried on. Table 6 is again 

 a condensation of table 3 with reference to the three N. acumi- 

 nata-v arieties. 



In general it appears that the older seed of N. acuminata- 

 varieties gives the highest percentage of germination throughout. 

 Why this should appear to be true is not plain, but undoubtedly 

 the conditions — i.e., temperature conditions — under which the 

 tests were carried out cannot be the most favorable for the germi- 

 nation of the seed of this particular species. The same fact may, 

 of course, have influenced the results of the germination tests 



