during 

 It is certain.however, that .each year indicated as a seed year by the repro- 

 duction seed must have "been distributed. Also the proportionate abundance 

 of seed during these years is indicated is probably fairly v/ell indicated 



by the abundance of seedlings for the respective years. 



of the white pine 

 The following table shows the seed yearafor the past forty years 



as indicated by the reproduction, in connection with the meteorological 



conditions existing during that periodij'rom this table it is evident that 



the late and early frosts have apparently no influence on the seeding, 



for in 1913, when the flowers and young cones for the 1914 crop was produced, 



we had the latest and almost the earliest frost en record, but still a 



crop was produced. And so we may consider frost as a negligible factor so 



far as seed production ^f( is concerned. 



next let us look at the annual temperatures. So far as can be seen 

 from the figures at hand there appears to be no particular relation to 

 the seed years in these temperatures. He it her do the temperatures for 

 June, July, and August throw any light on the subject when considered alone. 



Ihe precipitation records, however , show some relation to the seed 



as to 



years and may, combined with the summer temperatures, give a hint e^ the 

 answer to the question of periodicity of seed years. It is a well known 

 fact that a tree may be forced to produce fruit by partial girdling/The 

 explanation ordinarily given is that it is a provision of nature to 

 provide against the extermination of the species, which is really no 



explanation at all.7/hat happens when a tree is girdled?Hothing more or less 



■p 



than the cutting off of a part of the water sup^y from the ground. The same 



effect may easily result from drouth, and perhaps this may hBve something 

 to do with the production of seed. Following out this theory we should 

 expect after a year or two of drouth, or after years of moderate rainfall 

 accompanied by excessive heat, which would produce the effect ef drouth, 

 that the white pines would flower, and bear seed the following yesr. 

 Therefore the third and to a less extent the fourth year before the seed 



