896 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXXI, No. 9 
germination, it is evident that a method is indicated by which large 
amounts of seed may be treated in bulk with very little labor and 
expense. After exposure the seed should promptly be mixed with 
moist bark-free sawdust and kept until the time of sowing, under 
temperatures between 35° and 40° F. Molding may be prevented 
effectively by stirring seed and sawdust every other day. If, after 
treatment, this seed should be allowed to hang or lie in storage until 
the time of sowing, it would most certainly deteriorate very rapidly, 
either by molding or by drying. 
It should be noted that these results conform to those obtained by 
Pittauer, in that better germination was obtained by air than by 
snow freezing. 
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Fig. 2.—Greenhouse germination of western white pine seed, showing rate of germination dur¬ 
ing entire period of tests 
PRELIMINARY TREATMENT IN MOIST SAWDUST 
During the winter of 1916-17 a few samples of the western white 
pine seed were mixed with moist sawdust in a small wooden box and 
kept warm in the greenhouse. The seed was then covered with 
moist cotton and stirred thoroughly every day tb prevent molding. 
This method, recommended by Johannes Rafn, has been in use for 
some time at the Danish seed control station in Copenhagen. The 
results of this treatment are given in Table IV and are shown graphi¬ 
cally in Figure 2. 
It is evident that germination may be nearly doubled by this 
means and that a three weeks’ preliminary treatment is as good as or 
better than a longer or shorter time. This inexpensive method may 
