434 STUDIES IN SEEDS AND FRUITS 



tree ; and if it is subsequently protected by the fallen leaves, 

 there is no reason why it should not survive an ordinary 

 winter's weather and be ready for active growth in the spring. 

 Here is an experience that bears directly on this point. 

 Some acorns which had germinated a few days after- being 

 picked from the tree in October were left covered , up in the 

 basin of wet moss in my greenhouse and forgotten. Early 

 in March I was surprised to find that several of the acorns 

 were still alive, with radicles protruding about an inch, the moss 

 being still damp. The winter growth had been very slight, 

 the germinating seeds having undergone a period of almost 

 complete repose. Healthy seedlings were raised from them. 

 During the months of January and February there had been 

 no artificial heat in the greenhouse, and the contents were at 

 times frost-bound, the lowest reading of the thermometer 

 inside the house having been 23° F. 



The proportion of acorns exhibiting the early stage of 



The pro- germination on the tree in the autumn varied in different years. 



acornrthat Thus in the season of 1909 I placed it at 2 per cent. In 



^n^ateon I9ii> after the abnormally long and dry summer, extending 



the tree. into the fall of the year, the proportion in the fourth week 



of September was as high as 10 per cent. The exceptionally 



dry season had not affected the foliage of the trees, whilst the 



fruits were much larger and much more abundant than in the 



previous years. Whilst in 1908 the average weight of an 



acorn was from 60 to 70 grains, and in 19 10 from 50 



to 60, in 191 1 it was about 100 grains. The fruits 



ripened nearly a month earlier than usual, being mature in 



the middle of September instead of early in October. 



I had a remarkable experience with ripe acorns during : 

 Thegermin- three successive Octobers. After being gathered from the 

 detached tree in the green moist stage, before any loss of weight by 

 d*^rfai^the drying had occurred, I placed them on each occasion in a 

 drying dry saucer in a room which was rather damp, as there was 



process. ^^ artificial heat. The nuts were quite entire and showed 

 no signs of splitting their shells. On the first occasion 



