i6 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XI, No. i 
clumps were always closely bunched, growing usually within a space of 
only 2 or 3 inches in diameter. They were most often found springing 
from between the spreading roots of snags close to the trunks. In age 
the seedlings varied from i to 16 years, but always the individuals of a 
clump were of the same age or within a year of the same age. From the 
location of many of the clumps at the bases of snags and from the fact 
that the seed is known to be a favorite food of rodents, it appears that 
the seeds were buried by rodents. 1 Since the seedlings occur often at 
distances of over a mile from seed trees of this species and since rodents 
would not be likely to carry seeds to all parts of the burn for such dis¬ 
tances, it is believed that the seeds were buried either before or immedi¬ 
ately after the fire. 
The young seedlings from i to 5 years old must therefore be remarkable 
examples of delayed germination. Having been buried approximately 
in 1892 and having germinated in 1913 these seeds of whitebark pine 
exhibit the retention of viability through a storage period of 21 years. 
Several features of the cone and seed are calculated to aid in this delayed 
germination. The hard, thick-scaled cone is admirably adapted as a 
storehouse and, when sealed by the heat of a forest fire, no doubt serves 
effectively to preserve the seed. Before the seed can germinate, the cone 
must first open or disintegrate. When buried deeply (as by rodents) in 
a sealed cone, the seed will naturally be most favorably placed for pro¬ 
tracted storage. Finally, the seed itself is large, and is well protected 
by a thick, hard seed coat. It is very well equipped both to resist the 
agents of disintegration from without and to retain life within. Of all 
the species dealt with, it should prove, and has proved, to be among 
those which are able to retain their germinability for the longest period. 
The rebumed area was strikingly different from the area burned only 
once. It was apparent that the fire here had been much more severe, 
because the area was noticeably bare of snags. Such snags, stumps, and 
logs as were present were also in a much more advanced state of decay. 
The reproduction in this region was markedly confined to the areas only 
once burned, or at most to those which were visited by one severe fire 
followed after a long interval by one or more surface fires. The repro¬ 
duction on such areas was very open, but was occasionally dense enough 
to make a satisfactory cover. Named in the order of their numerical 
importance, the species represented were lodgepole pine, hemlock (western 
and mountain), western white pine, whitebark pine, noble fir, and others. 
These covered a range of ages from 1 to 38 years, with possibly some older 
trees which were seeding vigorously (PI. 5, B, C). It was impossible to 
fix the age of the original fire closer than between 39 and 40 years, which 
would place it approximately in the year 1875. 
1 Caching of whitebark-pine seeds by blue jays has been noted by C. G. Bates at the Fremont Experi¬ 
ment Station in Colorado. 
