102 PRACTICAL FORESTRY 
Let us, for the sake of experiment, collect some 
white-pine seed and sow it in a little bed. A few 
will germinate the first year, a large number the 
second, a few the third, and some, never. In the 
same bed at the end of three years we would have 
one-year-old, two-year-old, and three-year-old plants. 
It is easy to see that those which germinated the 
first year would have a great and lasting advantage 
over those which sprouted later. This, however, is 
probably economy on the part of the tree. Seed years 
are not frequent in northern districts. Those which 
sprouted the first year may meet with difficulties and 
perish. There is then still a chance that some of 
those which sprout the second year, and even those 
which sprout the third year may survive. By soak- 
ing the seed in water at a temperature of 130° for 
twenty-four hours, the majority that will sprout at all 
will sprout at once. 
Great care must be exercised in the sowing of 
soaked seeds. If sown in dry soil they will perish. 
By scalding locust seed, or by soaking it in warm 
water for three days, the outer hard encasement is 
broken, and the seeds will soon sprout, but if these 
are sown in dry soil, all may be lost. 
The germinating power is greatest soon after the 
seeds are ripe. In many instances, especially in 
tropical countries, seeds germinate just as soon as 
