Jan. 20 ,1923 
After-Ripening and Germination of Apple Seeds 
155 
The effect of the low temperature upon after-ripening, as previously 
reported by Eckerson (8) and now verified by us and as reported by 
Appleman (1), Crocker (5), Davis and Rose (7), and Davis, 4 and Jones 
(jj), for other kinds of seeds, suggested that apple seeds might after- 
ripen also in cold storage within the intact fruit. Ascherson ( 2 ), in fact, 
found a germinated apple seed in an undecayed fruit near the end of 
June. It seems certain that, in order to have remained sound so late in 
the year, this apple must have been kept where it was very cool most of 
the time. At any rate, the seed had become capable of germinating while 
within the fruit. 
Through the kindness of Dr. Brooks and Dr. Cooley of the Office of 
Fruit Pathology of this Department, material was secured for a study of 
the germination of seeds from cold-stored apples of several varieties. 
Table I summarizes the results. 
A very small percentage of the seeds of varieties stored at o° C. until 
February 5, 1919, and a somewhat higher percentage (not more than 
3 per cent) of Newtown Pippin seeds stored at o° until May 7, 1919, had 
begun to germinate intracarpially by the time they were taken out of the 
fruit a few days after taking the apples out of cold storage. When put 
to germinate at 25 0 , a few days after removal from the fruits, about 
one-fifth to one-half of the seeds germinated promptly and vigorously. 
In every case, however, there was very little germination at 25 0 after the 
very incomplete germination of the first few days. In the ice box, on 
the contrary, germination started rather slowly but progressed gradually 
until practically complete in about three weeks. The temperature of the 
ice box occasionally rose considerably above io° for a short time but was 
usually between 5 0 and io°. At 20° germination was nearly complete 
in two weeks. 
Table I .—Germination of apple seeds after-ripened in cold storage and ice box 1 
Previous storage, successive periods. 
Germination. 
Variety. 
Room 
Ice 
box . 2 
Icebox. 
20 C 
■ C. 
* 5 ° 
' c. 
o° C., in the fruit. 
tem¬ 
pera¬ 
ture. 
Days. 
Per 
cent. 
Days. 
Per 
cent. 
Days. 
Per 
cent. 
Days. 
Days. 
Oct.*29 to May 7, 
190 days. 
1 * 
6 
1 12 
72 
\. 
II 
56 
/ 
l 25 
IOO 
Newtown 
< Oct. 29 to May 7, 
X , 
I 12 
72 
} 13 
94 
II 
36 
Pippin. 
< 190 days. 
1 
1 25 
IOO 
Nov. 28 to May 7, 
160 days. 
} 7 
1 
f 12 
1 25 
62 
94 
} 13 
98 
II 
3 ° 
York Im¬ 
perial. 
Oct. 1 to Feb. 5, 
127 days. 
} 10 
4 
( 7 
23 
\ . 
/ 7 
22 
l 24 
94 
/ 
l 24 
22 
Grimes 
Golden. 
c 
t- 
X 
£ 
s 
4 
( 7 
32 
1. 
/ 7 
45 
l 24 
IOO 
/ 
l 24 
5 ° 
fonathan.. 
fOct. 1 to Feb. 5, 
\ 127 days. 3 
} 10 
4 
( 7 
7 
1. 
/ 7 
25 
l 24 
93 
J 
l 24 
25 
1 Some seeds had already germinated in the ice box before the beginning of the germination tests. Only 
those not yet germinated -were included in the tests. 
2 Most of the time at room temperature the seeds were within the fruits; sometimes dry-stored a few days 
after taking out. In the ice box the seeds , freed from the fruits, were incubated as for germination. 
3 During the last two or three weeks of this time the Jonathan apples were kept at 5 0 C. 
4 Davis, W. E. primary, secondary, and tertiary dormancy in the embryos op ambrosia trifida. 
Paper read at meeting of Amer. Assoc. Adv. Sci., St. L,ouis, Jan., 1920. Abstract furnished by courtesy of 
the author. (Not published.) 
