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JOURNAL OF FORESTRY 



weeks earlier than has been the custom. This may prove advantageous, 

 because weather conditions are apt to be better at the earHer time and 

 because a longer period for collecting is afforded. 



(2) Ou a given tree are small cones inferior to large ones? 



To answer this question three different lots of cones (each from a 

 different tree) were selected, and for each lot five small, five medium, 

 and five large cones were carefully cut to pieces. This was done to 

 correlate the size of the cone with the number of cone scales and the 

 number of seed, since it seemed possible that large cones might owe 

 their size to the greater development rather than to the greater number 

 of their scales. In this count the small scales at the top and bottom of 

 the cone were disregarded. The number of good seed was determined 

 by cutting tests. Table 3 shows the results obtained. 



Table 3. — Comparative Value of Large and Small Cones on a Given Tree 

 (Average of three trees) 



From this table the following conclusions may be drawn : 



( 1 ) Large cones actually have more scales developed than small ones, 

 and the number of scales (influencing the number of seed) is propor- 

 tionate to the size of the cone. But the number of good seed does not 

 necessarily follow from the number of scales. 



(2) On a given tree the relative size of a cone is a good indication 

 of its value. Small cones have comparatively few good seed, far fewer 

 than would be expected from a comparison of length alone. Thus a 

 cone one-third shorter than standard has only half as many seed and 

 not one-fourth as many good seed as the standard cone for the tree. 



(3) In picking cones it is wise to take from a given tree only the 

 larger, better developed cones. 



(3) Are the large seed of a tree of better quality than the s)nall seed? 



To answer this question a given lot of seed (from one tree) was 

 passed through two screens. Large seed were those which would not 

 pass through a mesh of about six to the inch; medium seed went 

 through this screen, but not through one nine plus per inch ; and the 

 small seed passed through both meshes. The relative size of these 



