FOREST SERVICE. 877 



affects both the percentage of fertile seed and the time required for 

 germination, two factors vital to success. 



Tlie problem of seed supply can be most effectively met by concen- 

 trating upon collection of local purchases in years when seed crops 

 are abundant and the cost therefore relatively low. The practi- 

 cability of storing seed for at least one year, with slight loss in fertil- 

 ity, lias been demonstrated. In seasons of abundant crops it will be 

 advisable to collect two or even more years' supply of seed. In such 

 seasons it may be necessary to concentrate the efforts and funds of the 

 Service primarily upon this feature of the work, with a proportionate 

 reduction in the acreage sown. Extensive collection should not be 

 attempted in years when the cost of seed will, on account of poor 

 crops, be excessive or when seed of the species required for the more 

 favorable sites can not be obtained. In such seasons the organization 

 and funds will be concentrated mainly upon sowing in so far as it is 

 found practicable to carry reserve supplies of seed ahead. This 

 method will maintain the balance of the various parts of the work and 

 accomplish the reforestation of the areas desired by periods of years. 

 The reduced cost of seed audits availability at the right time for sow- 

 ing should materially increase the area which it is possible to reforest 

 successfidly with given fimds. 



Seed tests were continued during the year as an essential factor in 

 the solution of the general problem of seed supply. The tests covered 

 (1) the fertility of over 150 samples of seed collected on the National 

 Forests, (2) the relative merits of various containers of seed, and (3) 

 the results of various methods of storing seed. Tests of different 

 methods of germination were discontinued, all germination tests being 

 conducted by the soil method. 



The tests of fertility of samples of collected seed were used directly 

 in determining the amount of seed to be used in both field sowing and 

 nursery operations. The storage tests showed the sealed glass jar to 

 be the best container, and that seed must be stored either in air-tight 

 receptacles or at low temperatures to be kept for any considerable 

 period without loss of fertility. 



The destruction of sown seed by rodents has been one of the great- 

 est obstacles encountered in reforestation. The failure of many of 

 the earlier seeding projects was due primarily to loss from this cause. 

 It has occurred on areas of practically every character, regardless of 

 the time of year when the seed was sown, except in cases wi,ere recent 

 burns had largely eliminated the animals either by outright destruc- 

 tion or by loss of food supply. Special effort has been given to the 

 solution of this problem during the last year, with the efficient assist- 

 ance of the Biological Survey, and a large number of methods of 

 destroying destructive species- were tested in the field. The coating 

 of seed with poisonous substances has not proved effective. On many 

 areas, however, free use of poisoned grain has reduced the loss from 

 rodents sudiciently to secure satisfactory germination. The success- 

 ful elimination of such injury appears to lie in the thorough poisoning 

 by this method of areas to be seeded, once or oftener in advance of 

 sowing. 



With successfail germination assured, the great problem lies in 

 cheap methods of cultivation and sowing, which will enable the young 

 seedling to develop its root system early enough and rapidly enough 

 to withstand the first annual drought, the dominant climatic feature 



