H. B. SIFTON 
have produced hardiness, or it is possible that owing to the warmer weather 
of 1900 more seed was produced by weak strains of plants. 
The sample obtained from the Northwest 
^ Territories in 1900 germinated in very low 
proportions even when fresh. This is due no 
doubt to the fact that a cold wave passed 
over that part of the country in August and 
in most parts the temperature was several 
degrees below freezing at some time during 
the ripening period. 
In the majority of cases there is a slight 
rise in the germination of oats during the first 
four or five years of storage. While it has 
been known for a long time that their germi- 
nation improved during the winter after har- 
vesting, I have seen no account of the contin- 
uation of this improvement beyond the first 
year. The rise is not found in every case. 
As a rule it is more pronounced in the poorer 
samples. There is one exception in the 
Northwest Territories crop for 1 901, which 
germinated in rather low proportions after 
two years, and from then on showed a gradual 
decrease. 
The difference between the final germina- 
tion (in 10 days) and the preliminary count 
(in 4 days) increases with increasing age. 
The tests were carried on at temperatures alternating between 30° C. 
in the daytime and 20° C. at night. Later experience has proved that these 
temperatures are not as satisfactory for northern grown oats as temperatures 
somewhat lower. 
Timothy 
Twenty-five samples of timothy were used for the investigation. Twelve 
were raised in 1902 and thirteen in 1903. 
The curve for these is shown in figure 3. The seed begins to depreciate 
in value at once, and the life of the strongest kernels is comparatively short. 
The three periods of depreciation are not marked off so sharply from each 
other as in the case of hardier seeds. The germination begins to fall off 
rapidly after the seventh year, when it is 84 percent. By the twelfth year 
it is reduced to 11.5 percent, and after that the curve flattens again until 
at seventeen years of age the seed is practically all dead. 
No records of preliminary counts were kept until the tenth year, when 
only 54 percent of the seed was left alive, and such as are available are there- 
f ore of little or no value. 
Fig. 2. Longevity curve for oats. 
