THE SEEDS 

 OF BROAD-LEAVED TREES 



EUROPEAN, NORTH AFRICAN AND WEST ASIATIC 



SPECIES 



It must be admitted at once that the results obtained from the 

 testing of the seeds of broad-leaved trees are only small compa- 

 red with those obtained by the testing of conifers. 



At the very beginning, 25 years ago, numerous experiments 

 were made, as shown by the two first Reports, covering the business 

 years 1887 88 and 1888 89. It soon became evident, however, as 

 was generally expected that these germination tests were for 

 the most part either unsatisfactory or produced no result whatever. 



ALNUS and BETULA. As far as the European species are con- 

 cerned, the Alders and Birches form, indeed, a happy and valuable 

 exception. The germination tests show very quickly and conclu- 

 sively the real value of these seeds and in this way explain the 

 great uncertainty in their treatment in the nurseries, Particularly 

 in the case of Alder was it a dogma that the seed, to succeed at 

 all, must be sown in autumn, and on this account such early 

 autumn distribution was demanded, that new seed could not be 

 obtained in time. Only after several years' research did this be- 

 come clear to me. 



The germination tests in the very first year 1887 88 gave: 



Alnus glutinosa, Belgian origin 1 / 

 incana, 2 



Norwegian 27 



