REPORT ON LARCH FORESTS. 369 



all known diseases when first introduced into this country as it 

 is at the present time. 



Larch, under similar circumstances, continues to thrive at the 

 present day equally as well as it did on its first introduction, and 

 there is abundance of trees recently planted throughout the 

 whole area of Scotland (or, it may be said, Britain), the growth 

 of which will bear a favourable comparison with those planted 

 a century ago. However, it must be admitted that the propor- 

 tion of diseased larches at the present day far outnumbers those 

 of any other period, and is greatly in excess of trees in a state 

 of health and soundness. To explain or account for this, requires 

 only a consideration of the great number of trees now planted, 

 compared with what was formerly done, the inferior descriptions 

 of soil now planted, and the unnatural treatment it frequently 

 meets with at all stages of growth. 



The common white larch (Larix Europca) belongs to Monacca 

 Monodelphia of the Linean system, and to the fir division of 

 the natural order Coniferce. It bears a strong resemblance 

 to the cedars generally, but particularly in having its leaves 

 single upon the young shoots, but always fasciculated upon the 

 old twigs, with the embryo bud containing next year's leaves in 

 the centre of the fasicle. It differs also in another respect from 

 the firs and pines in having its stigma semi-globular, cupped, 

 and glandular ; and in another still more obvious manner, in 

 being deciduous. 



The cones of the larch, like those of the cedar, grow upright 

 upon the branches, but are very much smaller in size. According 

 to some writers, the name larch is derived from the Celtic word 

 " lar," fat, in allusion to the resinous juice which it exudes. The 

 Gaelic of larch is " learag," said to be derived from the Latin larix, 

 and it is not improbable that the English " larch" was derived 

 from the same source. Its male catkins are stalkless, and irregu- 

 larly distributed amongst the female ones, the former being much 

 more numerous than the latter, some trees being quite covered 

 with stameniferous catkins, while scarcely a pistiliferous one is 

 to be seen ; and on some trees there are abundance of female 

 catkins, and scarcely a male one appears. 



The male catkins are a pale yellow, sometimes darker and 

 sometimes lighter in colour. The female catkins or cones (in 

 embryo) vary greatly in colour, from a deep crimson or scarlet 

 to pure white or pink. The prevailing colour is a bright red, 

 seldom scarlet, and as seldom pure white. The colour of the 

 flowers often differs on opposite sides of the tree. They are 

 always darkest on the south side, and where fully exposed to 

 the sun. 



In size as well as in colour the flowers vary greatly ; they are 

 always largest upon young, healthy trees, and the cones corres- 



