32 MISSOURI AGR. EXP. STA. RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 17 



22.1 days from those that were frozen in stratification. The next 

 quickest growth took place in those seeds that were dried, frozen in 

 stratification and etherized twenty-four hours 22.6 days. (Table 

 13, line 7.) Those that were dried, frozen in stratification and ether- 

 ized for twelve hours, made the third quickest growth that is, in 

 26.8 days on the average. (Table 13, line 6.) Seeds planted at ma- 

 turity without treatment were the fourth to grow, the average time 

 of germination being 50.1 days. Those that were dried one month 

 before planting ; dried and etherized for twenty-four hours ; and dried, 

 soaked three hours and etherized for twelve hours grew in 56.5, 58.1 

 and 60 days, respectively. (Table 13, lines 2, 4 and 3.) 



The highest percentage of germination secured 43.8 per cent 

 on the average was from seeds that were dried one month, frozen in 

 stratification and etherized for twenty-four hours. The other strati- 

 fication treatment, where twelve hours of ether was given, did almost 

 as well, the total being 42.5 per cent, while those stratified but not 

 etherized, showed only 34.4 per cent. The total germination from the 

 remaining four plantings ranged from 14.5 to 17.5 per cent. (Table 

 13.) The influence of the stratification alone, wherever used, more 

 than doubled the total percentage of germination. Apparently then, 

 it would be good practice to stratify seeds of woody plants when har- 

 vested, or shortly afterward. 



At first sight it might seem that seeds planted as soon as ripe 

 and given no chance to dry out ought to have germinated on the aver- 

 age in less than fifty days, and made a higher germination than 14 

 per cent. However, it should be remembered that these seeds 

 were planted in September and practically all germinated before freez- 

 ing weather came, while the stratified seeds were severely frozen be- 

 fore being planted. 



The following general conclusions may be drawn from the ex- 

 periments in treating seeds during the winter of 1912-13 : Seeds that 

 are planted after being kept in stratification, germinate much more 

 readily and produce a much higher percentage of germination than 

 similar seeds that are kept in dry storage before planting. The effects 

 of treating seeds with ether are much more marked on the subse- 

 quent growth of stratified seeds than on unstratified seeds. In gen- 

 eral the ether treatments shortened the dormant period of seeds and 

 increased the percentage of germination, but the different species re- 

 acted quite differently to this kind of treatment. Twenty-four hours 

 of ether seemed to be more effective than the 12-hour dose, both as 

 regards reducing the length of the dormant period, and increasing the 

 percentage of germination, altho here again the species were found to 

 vary considerably. In several instances the 24-hour ether treatment 



