EErORT ON LARCH FORESTS. 373 



termed " sweating in the bed" (a form of wet rot), or a low tem- 

 perature in the soil for a time after removal. 



The writer planted a row of larch in deep, rich black garden 

 loam, in March of the present year, and at the time he writes 30 

 per cent, are dead. The soil is rich with manure, but cold and 

 damp. Only a few yards distant another row was planted at 

 the same time, of the same sample of plants, upon light loam, 

 rather poor, but warm ; and these are all growing well, no 

 deaths having occurred. 



The circumstance of larch plants perishing by being planted 

 either at a time when the temperature of the soil is at its lowest 

 point, — at a season of the year when the plants remain long in 

 the soil before vegetation takes place, — is not peculiar to larch 

 alone, but is observed also, though to a less extent, with many 

 other species of trees. 



As the success or failure of larch planting depends so much 

 upon the temperature of the soil, it is safest to plant southern 

 exposures, and dry, warm soils, during the coldest part of the 

 planting season, and those exposures and soils less favourable 

 during a higher temperature. The number of larch plants that 

 perish annually, consequent upon low temperature of the soil, is 

 very great, and ought to be avoided, if possible. 



Although the larch grows at an altitude at least equal to that 

 at which any other forest tree succeeds, yet it is mechanically 

 less suited than some others to stand severe exposure. The 

 larch forms its young wood later in the season than any other 

 forest tree, often growing till the end of October, the top shoot 

 extending upwards in some cases at the rate of nearly half an 

 inch daily. It is subjected at that season of the year to high 

 gales of wind, which prove injurious to the tender shoots, espe- 

 pecially the top ones. It is often in consequence of the tender 

 top shoot sustaining damage by high winds that plurality of tops 

 are produced ; and hence also the short trunk, and broad bushy 

 top of trees highly situated and much exposed. Severe exposure 

 produces another bad effect upon larch, — especially such as are 

 upon the side of a hill, exposed to the prevailing wind, — by in- 

 clining them to one side. All larches thus exposed grow up 

 with the greatest number of branches situated upon the sheltered 

 side of the tree. If the tree is freely exposed to the south, the 

 greatest number of branches will be upon the north side ; the 

 consequence of which is that the tree becomes bent or like a bow, 

 the arc being to the north, and the cord to the south. The pith 

 of the tree, too, is nearest the south side, upon which side the 

 zones or annual layers of wood are thinner than upon the north 

 side. The cause of the difference of thickness of zones on op- 

 posite sides of the tree is caused by the additional increase of 

 woody matter formed in the vicinity of the branches. Whatever 



