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(b) Preservation in an ordinary room. 



The influence of the atmospheric moisture in the room, in which 

 seeds are kept, upon the germinating power was shown in both experiments. 

 In the first experiment, we could not, however, separate the effects of 

 moisture from those of temperature of the room; we shall speak only of 

 Akamatsu-seeds which were shown in the second experiment to retain 

 their germinating power well. 



Comparison of Akamatsu-seeds kept in bottles with cotton stoppers 

 with those kept in air-tight bottles in an ordinary room shows a distinct 

 difference in the germination percentage and in the time of change. The 

 former were characterised by a low germination percentage and the fall 

 in germinating power percentage was most conspicuous between June and 

 September every year. From September up the June of the following year 

 the fall, however, is less remarkable and is almost irregular. Seeds kept in 

 an air-tight bottle showed no marked distinction in germination percentage 

 throughout the year having only an occasional irregular fall. Thus, the 

 principal cause of the fall in the germinating power in the two experi- 

 ments must be the moisture contained in the air. The temperature of 

 the interval, June to September, must be certainly the highest in the year, 

 still such a rise does not affect the seeds so badly as does the moisture. 

 This is made the more evident by the fact that the condition of seeds 

 remains almost the same so long as they are kept hermetically sealed 

 whether the bottles are kept in a cellar or in an ordinary room. 



The necessity of keeping tree seeds in air-tight vessels for the 

 preservation of germinating power was studied by Cieslar (Versuche iiber 

 Aufbewahrung von Nadelholzsamen unter luft-dichtem Verschlusse, 

 Mittheil, d. K. K. Forstl. Versuchsanstalt in Mariabrunn) and Haack 

 (Die Kiefernsamen, Zeitschrift F. u. J-wesen, 1909). In both of these 

 investigations, the germination percentages were taken only for one year 

 and no mention is made of what season of year was taken for the 

 experiment or to what extent the moisture influenced on the seeds. 

 Fortunately, the results of our two experiments enable us to speak on 

 these points and we give below the conclusions arrived at. 



(1) The benefit arising from the use of air-tight vessels in pre- 

 serving the germinating power of seeds lies in the fact that the seeds are 

 preserved from the influence of moisture. 



