REPORT ON LARCH FORESTS. 409 



When the plants grow older, the marks of distinction become 

 fainter, till at last they quite disappear ; and though a good deal 

 is said about the superiority of the Tyrolese seedlings, nothing is 

 heard of the older trees, or pointed out in the mixed forest. 



An example of this appeared in a plantation on the estate of 

 Invercauld, Aberdeenshire, which was planted by Mr Morrison, 

 nurseryman, Elgin, in 1854. One of the conditions in the con- 

 tract was to plant a certain quantity of Tyrolese plants in stated 

 parts of the enclosure, Those parts are at the lower end of the 

 plantation confronting Balmoral Castle, and about half a mile 

 distant from it, and quite observable from the Deeside turnpike 

 road. In August last the writer examined very minutely the 

 larches in this plantation, now thirteen years old, and on com- 

 parison of the Tyrolese groups with those of Scotch produce, 

 taking soil, situation, altitude, &c, into account, he left the 

 plantation quite unable to say which had the superiority, or 

 whether or not there was any difference between the two sorts. 



On viewing the plantation from the county road, three of the 

 Tyrolese groups appear much in advance of the others, but on 

 entering the plantation it is found that this appearance is only 

 produced by the rising ground on which they are situated. The 

 greater part of the larches in this plantation are in a very thriving 

 condition, both those from foreign and home-grown seed. The 

 only exceptions are weakly plants overgrown by stronger ones ; 

 such overgrown plants are black in the bark, of a sooty appear- 

 ance, and soil the hands on touching them. 



The foliage on such sickly trees is of a pale green, and covered 

 with Coccus laricis. On the hillocks alluded to, both Scotch 

 and Tyrolese plants are in vigorous growth, with scarcely any 

 sickly plants amongst them, but where the larch and Scots pine 

 are mixed, there are many sickly plants of the former species. 



To the writer there appears so very little difference between 

 the Scotch and Tyrolese larch, that all practical operations should 

 be conducted (in planting) as if they were one and the same sort 

 of plants. If not identical, they are very closely allied, to each 

 show no reliable difference. 



Low temperature in the soil is very hurtful to newly-planted 

 larch, especially in a northern aspect ; and older trees growing 

 upon it soon die in consequence of decay of the roots. It is 

 probably owing in some degree to the temperature in the soil 

 that paring off the turf, previous to planting, is of such decided 

 advantage to the growth of the trees. 



Burning rough herbage, previous to planting, is also found to 

 be of great service in promoting the early growth of the trees. 

 Hoeing and raking the surface of the ground, where such is 

 practicable, also tends greatly to their welfare. 



The way in which deep planting proves injurious to the trees 



