EXPERIMENTS WITH TREE SEEDS. 139 
Judged by the tests indicated in the Table, the plants produced 
by the three systems of depositing the acorns closely agree with 
each other in every respect. The number of plants obtained per 
100 acorns varies only between 90 and 93; the average length of 
stem does not vary more than 0:2 inch; while the root-length and 
weight also show close agreement. Evidently, therefore, it is 
only in the matter of straightness of stem that the position of the 
acorn in the ground can exert any influence, and although the 
twist on the stem (Fig. 2) has had no appreciable influence on the 
height or weight of the plant, it cannot be regarded as a desirable 
feature, and might possibly prejudicially affect the value of the 
timber in the mature tree. One would therefore appear to be 
justified in concluding that acorns should not be planted with 
their thick end lowest ; while, as regards the other two systems, 
there is practically nothing to choose except on the score of con- 
venience, when the preference would be given to laying acorns on 
their side, as, in fact, is usually done in actual practice. 
Wuat INFLUENCE HAS THE SIZE OF THE SEED ON THE VIGOUR 
OF THE PLANT? 
This experiment was carried out with acorns which were in 
all cases laid flat. Four duplicate lots of one hundred acorns 
were selected, which gave the following weights per hundred :— 
Plot 4. Large acorns, ; : . 14 oz. 
Plot 3. Medium acorns, . ; : ~ wlvlees,, 
Plot 5. Small acorns, , : -, noe, 
Plot 6. Very small acorns, . : cele, 
These were sowed early in November 1893, and, when the 
plants were lifted at three years of age, the following results 
were got :— 
Average | Average ; : 
Number of feito) ae | Average Weight 
Blaniac. ean of | ee | per 100 Plants. 
Peer Ree ha B.S ok see 
Ins. | Ins. | Ins. | Ins. | 1b. oz. | Ibe oz. 
Large acorns, . .| 98 109| 65 | 81| 188 | 2162 12 | 3 15 
Medium acorns, ,j| 87 99 4°8 | 7°3 | 18°2 | 2-5 2-8 | 3. 4 
Smallacorns, . .| 89 90| 4:0) 6:2|)161|1777|/1 14).2 1 
Very small acorns, . | 84 75 | 36 | 5°5 | 15-8|185|1 10)1 11 
| | 
