758 EXPEKIMENT STATION EECORD. 



Notes on successful raforestation, E. Hexry {Sta. Ayron. Xancy, Bui. J, IDOO, 

 pp. 31-41). — An iu'fount is^ given of the ssuwessful reforestation of 2 tracts of land in 

 eastern France, in wliich the Austrian pine {Pimts laricio) was the principal species. 

 The seed of this, and white pine, larch, and spruce were sown in oats, the entire 

 expense of preparation of the land and sowing the tree seed being nearly borne by 

 the yield of oats. At the end of 34 years the value of the forests in which the Aus- 

 trian pine predominated was estimated, and the statement is made that it is equal to 

 a 6 per cent com])ound interest on the capital invested. 



SEEDS— WEEDS. 



Crimson clover seed, A. J. Pieters ( U. S. I)ej>t. Agr. . DivlsUm 

 of Botany Oirc. IS, rev., pp. 7,Jif/s. 3). — In a previous edition of this 

 circular (E. S. R., 11, pp. 748) a description was given of the crimson 

 clover seed and methods for its inspection. The results of a year's 

 experience have justified the fear expressed that unless care was taken 

 to test the germination of crimson clover seed, much poor seed would 

 be planted and disappointment follow. During the past season more 

 than 100 samples of crimson clover seed were sent to the Seed Lab- 

 oratory for examination. Their germination varied from to 99.75 

 per cent. The purity in most cases was good, though one sample sold 

 as crimson clover proved to be common red clover, while another lot 

 of seed, imported as crimson clover, was yellow trefoil. A. detailed 

 report is given upon a number of analyses made, in which comparisons 

 are drawn between the market price of the seed and the actual value 

 of the good seed in the sample. The statement is made that as a gen- 

 eral principle seed should be used that is grown in the neighborhood 

 where it is to be planted. As between imported and American-grown 

 seed, the latter is to be preferred. However, imported seed of good 

 vitality will generally give satisfaction in the region south of the Ohio 

 River. 



The germination of seeds from different sized fruits and from 

 cells containing different numbers o* seeds, Duke of Bedford 

 and S. U. Pickering ( Woharrt Expt. Fruit Farm Rp)t. 1900, p>l>- ^10- 

 217). — ^In the previous report (E. S. R., 9, p. 757) the germinative 

 poAver of seeds of crab apples taken Irom large and small fruits was 

 reported upon. The results obtained at that time seemed to be in 

 favor of the seeds from smaller f '-uits. In the present report details 

 of experiments are given with crab apples, apples, and pears, the 

 results of which are summarized. The general conclusion reached is 

 that neither the size of the fruit nor the number of seeds per fruit 

 has any certain or appreciable effect on the germinative power of the 

 seed and proba))ly not om tiie vigor of the seedlings. 



Investigations on germination, L. Maquenne {Ann. Agi'on., 26 

 {1900), ^h. 7, ijp. 32 1-332). -^Y\\i^ author states that the 2 conditions 

 which are perhaps most important in the germination of seed are the 



