Table 2. — Percentage of germination and survival, based on number of 

 seeds sown, by seedbed treatments and season for each sowing 





Germination 





Survival 







Spring 

 sowing 



Fall 



sowing 



Spring sowing 



Fall 



sowing 



Treatment 



1st 



season 



2nd 

 season 



1st 

 season 



2nd 

 season 



None 



Scarify 



Spade 



Scalp 



Burn 



3.0 

 17.7 

 18.5 

 16.2 

 16.5 



3.5 

 21.0 

 20.0 

 25.0 

 21.2 



2.0 

 13.5 

 11.0 

 13.5 

 11.5 



2.0 

 11.0 



9.5 

 12.5 



6.8 



3.0 

 16.5 

 14.0 

 22.5 

 18.8 



1 .2 

 12.2 

 10.5 

 18.2 

 16.0 



All plots 



14.4 



18.2 



10.3 



8.4 



15.0 



11.6 



sand-flat tests with portions of the same batch of seed demonstrated 

 that the seed was good: germinations as high as 73 percent were 

 obtained. 



The poorer germination in the untreated plots, as compared to all 

 treated plots, is believed to have been due mainly to drying of the seed. 

 Even though the seeds were pressed into contact with the litter or living 

 plant crowns on the soil surface, this loose material probably allowed 

 the seeds to dry excessively. 



Height growth of the seedlings obviously was poor. Competition 

 from the grass and associated broadleaf plants undoubtedly was an 

 important limiting factor. This effect of competition was strikingly 

 demonstrated on some extra seedbeds that were hand-weeded through- 

 out the growing season. These beds, which adjoined the study plots 

 and were seeded at the same time, produced cherry seedlings up to 

 32 inches tall the first summer without fertilizing or any other treatment. 



The response of black cherry to weeding was similar to that reported 

 for hybrid poplars by Schreiner. 2 He found hybrid poplars to be par- 

 ticularly susceptible to the inhibiting effect of grass and other weeds: 

 trees could not be successfully established on old fields without elim- 

 inating the sod and weeding for at least 1 year. Experimental evidence 

 indicated that the inhibiting effect of grass on hybrid poplars involves 

 something more than mere competition for moisture and nutrients. 



: Schreiner, Ernst J. Variation Between Two Hybrid Poplars in Susceptibility to 

 the Inhibiting Effect of Grass and Weeds. Jour. Forestry 43: 669-672, 1945. 



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