856 Influence of Locality on Scotch Pine Seed, [jan., 



At the Seventh International Forestry Congress, to which reference 

 was made in this Journal in November last (p. 636), a report was pre* 

 sented by Professor Arnold Engler, of Zurich, 

 Influence of Locality giving a summary of the results obtained at 

 on the Seed the Swiss Research Station on the influence 



Of Scotch Pine. of locality on the seed of Scotch Pine. The 

 greater part of the seeds were collected in 

 1905 and sown in 1906. Since then the seedlings have been planted 

 in different districts of Switzerland. Up to the present the following 

 seeds have been used : — 34 samples from Switzerland, 47 0 lat. N., 

 1,250 to 6,230 ft. elevation ; 5 samples from Alsace-Lorraine, 49 0 lat. 

 N., 430 to 920 ft. elevation; 1 sample from Rhenish-Bavaria, 49 0 30' 

 lat. N. ; 1 sample from Eastern Prussia, 53 0 40' lat. N., Johannisburger 

 Heide; 3 samples from France, 45 0 lat. N. ; 1 sample from Belgium, 

 50 0 54' lat. N., Forest of Lanaeken ; 1 sample from Scotland, Forres, 

 57 0 40' lat. N. ; 5 samples from Sweden, 57 0 to 66° 35' lat. N. ; 1 sample 

 from Norway, 6o° 26' lat. N. ; and 4 samples from Russia, Perm, 

 55 0 29' to 57 0 55/ lat. N. 



The seeds were planted at Adlisberg, near Zurich, and at three 

 nurseries at altitudes of 1,480, 2,130, and 3,940 ft. The seedlings 

 were planted out at two years of age at the following experiment 

 plots : — 



No. of 

 Experiment. 



Station. 



Altitude. 



Area. 



No. of 



Seedlings. 







Feet. 



Acres. 





I 



Rheinau ... 



1,210 



i-88 



8,060 



2 



Eglisau ... 



1,350 



3'43 



18,767 



8 



KiAmsberg 



i,7io 



077 



4,32 + 



3 



Bienne (Jura) 



3,5io 



372 



13,942 



7 



Scanfs (Haute-Engadine) 



5,900 



0-47 



1,872 



6 



Celerina ... 



6,100 



0-59 



1,992 



4 



Samaden ... 



6,300 



1-31 



7,050 



5 



Davos-Schatzalp... 



6,330 



0*67 



2,925 





Total 





12/84 



58,932 



The principal results obtained may be summarised as follows: — 

 Variation in the Cone. — (1) In the same district the form of the 

 apophyses varies from one tree to another. On the same tree, the 

 cones of a given year are generally of similar form, but often show 

 divergences. Cones on the same tree have, in general, apophyses of 

 the same form during several successive seasons ; but exceptions 

 are common. The plana, gibba, and reflexa forms of the apophyses 

 have been found in all the regions under observation. The great 

 diversity in the form of cones of Finns sylvestris is the result of a 

 fluctuating variability and is also influenced to a great extent by 

 exterior agencies. The shape of the cone cannot be used for the 

 differentiation of Scotch pine into varieties, races or forms. 



(2) It has been proved that the thickness of the apophyses in- 

 creases very regularly — (a) in Sweden, from the centre of the country 

 northwards ; and (b) in the Alps with increasing elevation. Cones 



