5IO Journal of Agricultural Research voi.xxii. N09 



RESULTS OE STORAGE AT END OF TEN YEARS 



Reference was made (p. 483) to the fact that some of the bottle-stored 

 seed was carried over for another 5 years and then tested again. The 

 seed so carried over was that of each of the six species which had previous- 

 ly been stored at the indoor temperature at Dundee, 111. P'ollowing the 

 test during the winter of 1914, the bottles were resealed air-tight and then 

 stored until January, 19 19, on a shelf in the Forest Service office building 

 at Washington, D. C. The 1914 test of these seed showed a germina- 

 tion percentage of 71.5 for Engelmann spruce, 43 for Douglas fir, 61.5 

 for lodgepole pine, 82 for western yellow pine, 74 for western white pine, 

 and 56.5 for white pine. 



The test in 19 19 was carried on for 167 days under the same conditions 

 as in previous years. Engelmann spruce, Douglas fir, and white pine 

 germinated not at all, while lodgepole pine germinated to the extent of 

 9 per cent, western yellow pine 22 per cent, and western white pine 6.5 

 per cent. Although the test was continued for 167 days, the lodgepole 

 pine had completed its germination in 90 days, western yellow pine in 

 75 days, and western white pine in 130 days. Due to the fact that 

 these seeds were exposed to the air at the end of 5 years, although the 

 bottles were afterwards resealed, this particular part of the experiment 

 does not truly indicate whether seed can be successfully stored for 10 

 years without great deterioration. It does give an idea of the relative 

 sustained vitality of the species concerned. It has been rather apparent 

 all through the study that as respects general sustained vitality, the 

 species will rank in the following sequence, the more vital species being 

 placed first: Western yellow pine, lodgepole pine, western white pine, 

 white pine, Engelmann spruce, and Douglas fir. If the seeds were se- 

 cured from different sources than those of this study, the sequence 

 might be altered. 



