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willows lose their power of germination in 5 to 6 days after they have been 

 blown from the parent tree. The seeds of poplars and elms are also proved 

 to be very short lived. Acorns and beech nuts, as a rule, are capable of 

 germination only until the following spring. On an average, ash, maple and 

 fir come under the same head. On the other hand, a large percentage of 

 •spruce and pine seeds germinate after 3 to 5 years ; however, the seedlings 

 are apt to be less vigorous. The maturing of the seed and the care of it 

 after it has been gathered are important factors. For example, Nobbe 

 found that seeds of Pinus silvestris, which had stood in closed glasses in a 

 living room, germinated after 5 years to about 30 per cent, and after 7 years, 

 to 12 per cent. In fact, even after 10 to 11 years, individual seeds were 

 still found capable of germinating. Under the same conditions, seed of 

 Trifolium pratense, after 12 years, germinated to 10 per cent., Pisum sati- 

 vum, 47 per cent, after 10 years and in one experiment, Spergula arvensis 

 25 per cent., another year 67 per cent. It is stated that cedars and Italian 

 pines (Pihon) have germinated after 30 years\ It is advisable to sow fine 

 seeded conifers soon after ripening. The time of planting, whether summer, 

 autumn or spring, is a question of practical importance. The summer is 

 the most difficult season because the moisture fluctuates to a great extent in 

 the soil; therefore, with trees whose seed must be sowed immediately, as 

 willows and poplars, propagation by cuttings will obviate this difficulty. 

 Autumn sowing is much better and necessary with oaks, chestnuts, hazel 

 nuts, etc. It is recommended for very hard shelled seeds like those of 

 Crataegus, Prunus, Ilex, Sorbus, Rosa, Cornus, Berberis, Ribes, Carpinus, 

 Staphylea, Clematis, etc. The last named kinds often do not germinate for 

 2 to 3 years, especially in sandy soils. Spring sowing is best because the 

 danger of winter and all injuries due to animals are eliminated. In order 

 not to lose the time between the autumn and spring, the seeds are placed in 

 layers between sand, which is kept damp. This process is called 

 stratification. 



The importation of seeds of prized decorative trees from their native 

 countries has become a large business. It is important to know the loss of 

 germinating power during transportation. Count von Schwerin- in the 

 German Dendrological Society has called attention to the fact that maple 

 varieties cannot withstand any long transportation, so that, for years, not 

 one of the maple seeds brought from the Himalayas had germinated. Also, 

 the seed bed should not be broken up too soon, since many seeds retain their 

 vitality for a long time in the soil. Thus, for example, Chamaecyparis Law- 

 soniana often lies 4 years in the soil, especially in dry years. For years, in 

 the trade in Magnolia hypoleuca from Japan, either no seeds germinated or so 

 few that the costs of transportation were not paid. The seeds dried during 

 the journey. Very encouraging results have been obtained recently by leav- 

 ing these seeds in their fruit and packing them in powdered charcoal. 



J and - Ueber das Keimen von Gehdlzsamen. Der Handelsgartner 1905, No. 14. 



