14 THE VITALITY AND GERMINATION OF SEEDS. 



when distributed to different parts of the United States and submitted 

 to the free influence of A-arious climates. Likewise at the various 

 points where tests were made the seeds were subjected to dift'erent 

 treatments. 



The places selected for these tests were San Juan, P. R., Lake City, 

 Fla. , Mobile, Ala. , Auburn, Ala. , Baton Rouge, La. , Wagoner, Ind. T. , 

 Durham, N. H., and Ann Arbor, Mich. 



A sample of each species of seed was put up separate!}' in double 

 manila coin envelopes and in closel}' corked bottles. Duplicate sets 

 of each series were then subjected at each of the above-named places 

 to the following conditions: 



Trade condltkms. — Conditions similar to those in which seeds are 

 kept when offered for sale by retail dealers, the seed being more or 

 less exposed to meteorological changes and subjected to natural varia- 

 tions in temperature and humidity. For the most part the seeds were 

 in rooms that were never heated. 



D)'y rooms. — Rooms in the interior of l>uildings which were artifi- 

 cially heated during cold weather, and where the (juantity of moisture 

 was relatively small and the temperature comparatively constant. 



Basements. — Rooms where the temperature was comparatively low 

 and uniform, and the relative humidity of the surrounding air was 

 much higher than in "trade conditions" and "dry rooms." 



These conditions varied in the different places at which tests were 

 made, and a more detailed description will lie given when the results 

 of the germination tests are discussed. 



For the first part of this paper, treating of the influence of climate 

 on vitality, none of the seeds need to be considered save those pre- 

 pared in paper packages and kept under trade conditions, these coming 

 more nearly under the direct action of the surrounding atmosphere, 

 A sample of each kind of seed was put up in a manila (No. 2) coin 

 envelope, and each of these packages was then inserted in a second 

 (No. 3) coin envelope. Duplicate samples of every kind of seed were 

 sent to the various testing places, where they were subjected to trade 

 conditions. At San Juan the packages of seeds were kept in an open 

 room, being sulijected to the full action of the atmosphere but pro- 

 tected from the direct rays of the sun and from rain. At Lake City 

 the packages were kept in a one-story frame building which was not 

 artificially heated and the doors of which were open the greater 

 portion of the time. At Mobile the packages of seeds were stored in 

 a comparatively open attic of a private dwelling. At Auburn the 

 seeds were stored in a greenhouse office, with the doors frequently 

 standing open. At Baton Rouge the packages were kept on a shelf in 

 a grocery store, the doors of which were closed only during the night. 

 At Wagoner the conditions were very similar to those of Baton Rouge, 

 save that the packages of seeds were kept in a drug store. At Dur- 

 ham the seeds were kept over a door at the entrance of one of the 



