Nov. ; o, 1921 Storage of Coniferous Tree Seed 48 1 



them European. In order to meet an immediate need for information, 

 it seemed desirable to extend and expand upon them somewhat to 

 those American species most used in reforestation operations on the 

 national forests. These species were western yellow pine {Pinus pondc- 

 rosa Law.), western white pine {Pinus monticola Dougl.), white pine 

 (Pinus sirobus Linn.), Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni Engelm.), 

 Douglas fir {Pseudotsuga taxifolia (Law.) Britton), and lodgepole pine 

 (Pinus contorta Loud). The study should now be followed up with 

 those more sensitive coniferous seeds, the true firs, the cedars, arbor- 

 vitas, redwoods, and the numerous species of American hardwoods of 

 which so little is known. 



The study brings a realization of the fact that it is a mistake to deal 

 with so many variables in an intensive project of this nature. It is 

 difficult if not impossible to be sure of the cause or causes for any particu- 

 lar result. There is now a need for further investigations of slightly 

 smaller scope, in which the variables will be reduced to a minimum and 

 in which by laboratory methods, the exact physiological, chemical, and 

 any other changes which the seeds undergo can be followed closely. 

 These changes almost surely will throw light upon the behavior of seed 

 in storage. 



FACTORS AFFECTING EXPERIMENTS 



Some of the conditions under which this study was carried out should 

 be stated. Because of a shifting in personnel the study in various stages 

 has come under the direction of several men. This has not been con- 

 ducive to the best development of the project, and it may be that the 

 analyses of the results are not so thorough as though made by the one 

 who conceived the study. Apparently through oversight, no tests of 

 the seed were made before they were put in storage. It is not known, 

 accordingly, to what extent deterioration progressed in the seed during 

 its first year of storage. That there was deterioration in the case of most 

 containers is shown by the very general superiority after one year of the 

 seed stored in air-tight bottles. Because of this lack of an original test, 

 it has, in making analyses of the results, been necessary to use as the 

 basis of comparison, the germination of seed after storage for one year in 

 the air-tight bottles. 



On account of the large number of variable factors involved (6 species 

 of seed, 5 kinds of containers, 13 storage points, and 3 temperature con- 

 ditions at each of these points), the general conclusions are by no means 

 fully supported by the results in every individual test. It is thought, 

 however, that the average results are a safe criterion of what may in 

 general be expected of these coniferous seed in storage. 



Fresh seed, with the wings removed, of the species previously men- 

 tioned was obtained during the fall and winter of 1908-9 in the amounts 

 and from the sources indicated below: 



Picea engelmanni, lo pounds, San Isabel National Forest, Colorado. 



Pinus monticola, 55 pounds, Coeur d'Alene National Forest, Idaho. 



Pinus contorta, 12 pounds, Deerlodge National Forest, Montana. 



Pinus ponderosa, 70 pounds, Boise National Forest, Idaho. 



Pinus strobus, 30 pounds, New York State. 



Pseudotsuga taxifolia, 25 pounds, San Isabel National Forest, Colorado. 



"When the seed was all brought together at Washington, D. C, it was 

 spread out thinly on a floor and fanned steadily for two days by means 

 of an electric fan. The object was to dry the seed coats thoroughly. 



