34 



BOTANICAL GAZETTE 



[JANUARY 



germination proceeded. Germination was accompanied by a 

 decrease of stored fats and an increase of sugar. Although the 

 details varied somewhat, both seeds passed through a period of 

 preparation for germination. 



Material and preliminary study 



The Juniperus plants are erect or prostrate dioecious Cupresseae 

 distributed over the Northern Hemisphere. They are used in 

 landscape decoration, serving as hedges and screens up to 30 ft. 

 high. In early spring the flowers appear in the leaf axils, forming 

 many carpel whorls, of which only the upper one develops. This 

 whorl bears 3 ovules, which grow together and form a spherical 

 fruit, which requires two years to ripen, and contains 1-3 seeds. 



TABLE I 



Material secured 



Juniperus seeds were gathered in the fruit condition, and those 

 used in these experiments were collected as stated in table I. 



The seeds freed from the fruit vary with the species as to color, 

 shape, size, and quality. Those of /. virginiana are light brown 

 smooth, brittle, 3-4 mm. long, and when air-dry weigh about 

 0.009 gm. each. Seeds of /. c. depressa, J. communis, and /. pro- 

 strata are much alike. These seeds are dark amber, rough, 4-6 mm. 

 long, narrower and less brittle than those of /. virginiana. Some 

 of the /. virginiana material proved to be badly worm eaten, while 

 the other lots were quite free from worms. Seeds collected in 

 Vermont were generally good. Table II gives the percentage of 

 bad seeds due to worms and lack of development. 



