NOTES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF TREE SEED-TESTING. 279 



The Danish spruce seed is not good either, but the production there- 

 of has hitherto been unimportant, as only now and then small 

 quantities are saved, and these are not usually put on the market. 



The German spruce seed has an average Real Value of about 

 80 per cent., the Tyrolese of 84 per cent., while the Swedish and 

 Finnish spruce seed reaches about 90 per cent. The highest 

 figure has been 97 "71 per cent., for Swedish seed. 



As an instance of retention of germinating power, mention may 

 be made of a sample of Picea exceha borealis, Norwegian seed, 

 grown north of the Polar circle, which was tested here in 1889, 

 when five years old, and germinated in thirteen days 46 per cent, 

 and in thirty days 63 per cent. 



The production of seed of Picea alba is, in contrast to P. exceha, 

 of considerable importance in Denmark, as also that of Pinus 

 montana uncinata, because both these species are so excellently 

 suited for cultivation in the poor, dry, and above all tempestuous 

 heaths of Jutland. This is why I have, in the course of my 

 experience, had no less than twenty-six tests carried out with the 

 seed of P. alba, and the following are the results : — Average Real 

 Value about 75 per cent.; minimum 10 - 94, maximum 9D09. 

 Divided into two periods : 



Picea alba (Danish seed), for 8 tests, 1887-1888 to 1891-1892, min. 10-8, 

 max. 91-09. 

 ,, (Danish seed), for 18 tests, 1892-1893 to 1899-1900, min. 23-66, 

 max. 90 '5. 



As it appears, the progress in quality for this species has not 

 been great, and this for a certain reason, which it might possibly be 

 of some interest to make known. The very mild and damp winter 

 in Denmark in 1898-1899 rendered both cleaning and storing 

 of many species of seed very difficult, and especially the seed of 

 Picea alba suffered. I had a quantity of this, which in November 

 1898 contained 95-50 per cent, of clean seed, and had a Real Value 

 of 79 27 per cent. After a second winnowing in the course of 

 the winter it was bi'ought to contain 98-50 per cent, clean seed, 

 and still the Real Value appeared in the spring only to be 55-16 

 per cent., and it had by that time a slight mouldy smell, for 

 which reasons it was of course not sold. A new quantity of 

 2 cwt. was then received from one of our State plantations in the 

 dunes, and this was on arrival here apparently of sound and fine 

 quality, the seed having been taken out of the cones by sun- 

 di-ying during the preceding summer. It was therefore without 



