122 Forestry Quarterly 



agreeing as to the influence of size of the seed on the young plant. 

 All this discussion is to show the complexity of the problem of 

 heredity and selection. 



The author cites evidence of the heredity of growth forms, such 

 as pyramidal shape, twisted grain, pendulous branching. 



The resume of the lengthy discussion is worded as follows: 

 "The forestal selection for breeding, i.e., the selection of the 

 mother tree for seed, must have regard not only to climatic 

 derivation of the seed, but also to the individual character of the 

 mother tree, and make sure that the seed comes not only from 

 perfectly mature (suchtreif), but sound trees, which from the 

 standpoint of the breeder appear without objection, and which 

 up to the time of its use is kept in full breeding quality 

 (Zuchtgiite)." 



The author contends that consideration of the individuality of 

 the seed tree has always prevailed in selecting the mother trees 

 in natural regeneration. The same consideration must be given 

 in collecting seed only from the best stock, and that means in 

 the end collecting on own account. 



But the author warns against drawing conclusions regarding 

 heredity too hastily, for it is necessary to observe the develop- 

 ment up to mature age. 



Aufgaben und Ziele der forstlichen Zuchtwahl und ihre Neigung zur Kursand- 

 erung. Centralblatt fur das gesammte Forstwesen, March- April, 1915, 

 pp. 81-102. 



Forstmeister von Seelan undertook to 



Depth find out the most favorable depth for sow- 



of ing acorns. To this purpose he prepared 



Sowing six beds on entirely uniform soil, which 



was fresh, loose, limy loam, into which he 



sowed in rills 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 cm deep, 240 acorns each, giving 



2 cm space, laying acorns on their sides and covering loosely 



with soil without pressing — a method which he had successfully 



used on a large scale, using a hoe, lifting the surface and letting 



the chunk of earth drop back. 



A table shows the progress of germination, the number sur- 

 viving until spring, their total weight and per hundred weight 

 with explanatory remarks regarding the character and develop- 

 ment of the plants. 



The 4 cm depth gave the earliest and most numerous germina- 



