1130 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVIII, No. 11 
In the fall of 1917 sowings were made on September 7, 17, 27; October 6, 20, 
and November 3, with two lots of seed; 24,000 seeds were sown in samples of 
1,000. These series showed no startling differences in September sowings, but 
the October sowings were inferior in promptness of germination and total num¬ 
bers appearing the first season. 
During the fall of 1918, fourteen samples of 1,000 seeds each were sown on 
various dates, utilizing seed from two sources. The first three weeks in Septem¬ 
ber appear to have been the proper time to sow that year. The degree of prompt¬ 
ness of germination was quite satisfactory for all of the first four sowings (August 
27, September 9 and 21, and October 1), germination being practically all con¬ 
fined to the month of May. The graphs (fig. 2 and 3) show the total germina¬ 
tions and the proportion of hold-over. No seedlings were lost from “premature” 
germination; or, in other words, no seeds germinated during the fall of sowing 
Fig. 3.—Results of sowing of Washington seed, 1917 
only to succumb during winter. Except for the factor of germinative energy, or 
seasonal promptness, the graphs illustrate the essential points to consider in this 
problem, and appear to be typical of what may ordinarily be expected. The 
results of spring sowing on two different dates are also shown for the sake of 
comparison. 
SUMMARY OF ADVANTAGES OF FALL SOWING 
Fall sowing of western white pine results in prompt and complete germination 
the following spring. Thus a regular and full stand of seedlings is secured. The 
heavy culling otherwise necessary, or its alternative of keeping the stock another 
year, is avoided. No shade or mulch at all is necessary, hence the entire cost of 
these three operations is saved. Handling the lath shade-frames was formerly 
a large item, because they had to be removed and replaced several times a season 
for weeding operations. A cost of $66 for straw and $181.50 for the frames and 
handling them is now saved each year at the Savenac Nursery as a result of these 
experiments. In short, it appears that we have avoided completely all of the 
disadvantages of spring sowings and hold-over germinations. 
