228 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. XVII, No 



percentage of germination of unpulped seed was reduced, whereas that of 

 pulped seed was increased 23 per cent over the germination of the pulped 

 seed not soaked. The reduction in germination when the unpulped 

 seeds were soaked can not be attributed to the direct action of the water 

 alone. Since soaking favors a more rapid decomposition of the pulp 

 when the seed is placed in the ground, the degree of fermentation reached 

 may have been sufficient to destroy the vitality of some of the seeds. 



In addition to the marked effect on the rapidity of germination which 

 was noted when the pulp was removed from the seed, it was also noted 

 that as the planting season advanced germination was more rapid and 

 much less time \\'as required to reach the point of maximum germination. 



Table III. — Rapidity of germination of camphor seed secured from parent tree A under 



various conditions 



Three special points of interest are brought out in Table III: First, 

 the time for camphor seed to reach maximum germination; second, the 

 shortening of this time by removing the pulp before planting; and third, 

 the decrease in time required for the seed to germinate as the season 

 advances. These points are more fully illustrated in the graph showing 

 the time required for camphor seed to reach maximum germination 

 (fig. 2). In every trial the pulped seed germinated much more quickly 

 than the unpulped seed, irrespective of the condition at the time of 

 gathering. As the season advanced and the soil warmed up, germina- 

 tion naturally took place in a shorter time. But what is of more interest 

 from the commercial point of view is the fact that seed gathered and 

 planted early in the fall will remain in the ground in good condition 



