Analyses of seed samples ofPinus banksianaLamb.,P.contortaDougl. var.latifoliaEngelm., andPicea glauca(Moench) Voss demonstrated the presence of 12 genera of fungi.Pythium,Phytophthora, andRhizoctoniawere not isolated but typical symptoms of damping-off disease were observed among the seedlings grown in sterilized soil. Surface sterilization of seeds resulted in a significant reduction in emergence ofP.banksianaandP.glaucaseedlings but not onP.contortavar.latifolia. The cause of this difference is discussed. The post-emergence mortality ofP.banksianaseedlings resulting from surface-sterilized seeds grown in sterilized and unsterilized soil was significantly higher than that among the seedlings from untreated seeds. Mortality ofP.contortavar.latifoliaseedlings was significantly higher among the seedlings from untreated seeds, and that ofP.glaucaseedlings was higher among the seedlings from untreated seeds and only in unsterilized soil.