37-4 REPORT ON LARCH FORESTS. 



side of a tree is most abundantly clothed with branches, upon 

 that side the bark is furthest removed from the pith. In order, 

 therefore, to grow larch tall, straight, equally and duly branched 

 all round, with the pith in the centre, and the tree proportionally 

 developed throughout, requires a situation where it is protected 

 from prevailing and high winds, but especially the south and west. 

 As the prevailing winds in Scotland are from the west, larch 

 is therefore best grown in an eastern exposure. Though there 

 are many famous larches and larch plantations in this country 

 upon southern exposures, yet, to say the least, there are equally 

 good ones upon northern exposures. As samples of trees grow- 

 ing upon northern exposures, may be mentioned those splendid 

 old trees at Dunkeld, Dawick House, Kippenross, Novar, Mony- 

 musk, Arniston, &c. All the preceding, though northern ex- 

 posed, have attained at least 90 feet in height, and contain an 

 average of 200 cubic feet of timber. As a rule, the northern 

 side of a hill is best adapted to grow larch to age, and large di- 

 mensions, while upon the south side it grows more readily when 

 newly planted, and comes sooner to maturity. 



Of all the subjects connected with the cultivation and growth, 

 &c. of larch, none have been so keenly discussed as the kind and 

 quality of soil most suitable for it. Every person accustomed 

 to work in soils and to examine them, knows how much their 

 properties and qualities change as he digs his way down ; and 

 though the appearance of soils upon the surface may be much 

 alike, yet at a depth of less than twelve inches they may differ 

 essentially. The different layers or strata of soil may be com- 

 pared to the geological formation of stratified rocks. In forming 

 an opinion as to the cause of failure of a crop of larch, the trees 

 are inspected, the upper surface of the ground only examined, and 

 the conclusion arrived at is as often erroneous as correct. 



Moss is not generally regarded as soil suitable for larch, yet 

 the writer has seen as good larch cut upon pure moss as upon 

 any other soil, the roots of which never penetrated either gravel, 

 sand, or clay. This, however, requires a few words of explana- 

 tion. The moss referred to was thoroughly decomposed, with 

 no fibres, as seen in common peat moss. The moss had also 

 either been rendered dry by deep open ditches, or rendered loose 

 and open by being turned over in the work of draining. Dry- 

 ness and looseness are essential conditions in soil termed moss, 

 in rendering it suitable for the growth of larch. The best trees 

 are always found upon the margins of the ditches. 



The writer is acquainted with a moss of great depth in the 

 county of Cheshire, near Macclesfield, under a crop of excellent 

 larch, and another deep moss in Banffshire bearing a good crop 

 of healthy larch. In both cases the moss was well drained, with 

 deep open ditches, and the trees planted in the earth excavated 



