410 REPORT ON LARCH FORESTS. 



is probably by placing their roots at a depth beyond the immediate 

 action of the solar rays. The writer made some experiments 

 with larch (three years transplanted) in a nursery. In planting, 

 he put each alternate row two inches deeper than the other row, 

 and found as the result that 30 per cent of the deep-planted trees 

 died, while the others all lived. The experiment was made on 

 several soils, and it was found that deep-planting on rich black 

 loam and that of tenacious clay were nearly alike, while very 

 few died upon light dry soil, sand, or gravel. 



It is a settled question with many persons, that freely circu- 

 lated water in some way applied to larch is all that is needed ; 

 but when asked in what way it should be applied, the answer 

 is seldom forthcoming. It seems well to endeavour to correct 

 this misapprehension, for although water may be near well- 

 grown trees, it is not from the water or from wet soil that the 

 tree derives its nourishment. It is nourished and sustained not 

 by the water, but in spite of its presence. It is from other 

 favouring circumstances than these that the tree attains size or 

 longevity. 



Drainage has its strong advocates, who think and act as if open 

 drains would make larch grow. Wet ground is drained and 

 planted, the trees flourish for a while, are seen so flourishing, 

 and so inspiring confidence, convey the result to others, and thus 

 the impression is spread abroad. On clay-drained ground the 

 larch, after flourishing for a period of about fifteen years, dies 

 .suddenly, and all about the drains is forgotten. Or some one 

 thinks the two-foot drain not deep enough, and ascribes to that 

 circumstance the cause of failure, recommending, from his own 

 experience of failure, a two and one-half foot or three feet drain. 



On looking at a plantation with drains in it, it must be obvious 

 to the least observant how well the trees grow along the margins 

 of the drains, being often, at ten years old, 15 feet high, while the 

 general plantation is only 7 feet or 8 feet high. This superiority 

 of growth is at once attributed to the drainage, which leads to 

 erroneous conclusions throughout of its being (almost) entirely 

 due to another cause explained thus. The earth excavated from 

 the drains is sometimes laid upon one side and sometimes the 

 other, as it happens to answer the hand of the workman ; and it 

 is upon the excavated earth that the plants so well flourish. It is 

 due to the loose open soil, and not to the drainage (proper) that 

 superior growth is to be ascribed. 



Drainage, as formerly stated (unless upon moss), can benefit 

 the growth of larch very little, because wet clays and such soils 

 as truly require draining are not, even though dry, suitable to 

 larch, hence should be planted with other trees. 



In proof that the superior growth in drained ground is clue 

 only to the loose dry soil excavated from the drain, and to no 



