Germination of Longleaf Pine 533 



be reduced to widely scattered groups of trees, and later will 

 disappear entirely. 



The assigned work for the class consisted in individual studies 

 to determine the following points : 



1. Number of seeds deposited from seed trees at different dis- 

 tances from their bases. 



2. Per cent of seeds germinating on different types of ground 

 cover- : pine needles, grass, hardwood litter, litter of varying 

 ages and depths. 



3. Effect on reproduction of fire and other agencies. 



The study was made by taking small-sized sample plots (gen- 

 erally one foot square) under various conditions, but on sites 

 unburned that season, and counting the seeds and seedlings 

 on them, and noting the distance from the seed trees. Since but 

 one crop of seedlings was present, there was no danger of includ- 

 ing those of more than one age-class. 



The year 1913 was a seed year for Longleaf pine in this region. 

 The seed fell during the fall and winter and began to germinate 

 in February.^ By the time this study was made, in late March, 

 the germination period was practically over. The seedlings bore 

 cotyledons fully expanded and the root system was often two or 

 three inches long. During or shortly after germination much of 

 the ground was burned over, destroying most of the seedlings. 

 A few escaped and some showed signs of at least a temporary 

 recovery from the effects of the fire. According to the best evi- 

 dence, seed years in the region occur about every seven years. 



Seed Dissemination: The greatest distance given for the fall 

 of seed from the base of a seed tree was 150 feet^ (from a tree 

 on the edge of a field). The average maximum distance was 

 140 feet. Several observations were made to the effect that 

 the radius of seed dissemination seldom exceeded the height of 

 the seed tree. The dominant trees of the stands in the region 

 average about 120 feet high. 



The amount of seed falling on about sixty plots one foot 



^ This percentage is of course smaller than would be obtained from seed 

 tests in a nursery, and should not be compared with them. 



^ U. S. Forest Service reports that by early December, most of the seed 

 had germinated, little seedlings of 2 or .3 inches high being found growing 

 in great numbers, and that at that time groups of seedlings were found 

 by the Conservation Commission of Louisiana as far distant as 300 feet 

 from the nearest seed tree. — Ed. 



