418 REPORT ON LARCH FORESTS. 



composed of the third, fourth, and fifth generations of trees from 

 the Duke of Athole's woods. 



Where bare moorland adjoins some of these hardy woods the 

 young seedlings may be seen in acres, from self-sown seed, like 

 the indigenous growth of young pines beside the native forests. 



I understand that, in the end of the last and during the 

 first twenty years of the present century, the Perthshire planta- 

 tions were the chief source of supply for the nurseries through- 

 out the country, and as far as I can learn little or no foreign 

 larch seeds were imported during that period. In course of time, 

 however, duties were relaxed, international communications were 

 opened up, and foreign seeds have now for many years been im- 

 ported to the extent of many tons yearly, yielding plants in 

 the Scotch nurseries of certainly not less on an average than 

 twenty millions annually. The four years succeeding to 18G0 

 were too wet and cold for the larch seed crops in this country, 

 and Scotch seed could only be obtained to a small extent in the 

 more favoured districts, from old woods, where some of the 

 acclimated trees were being felled ; so that during the last few 

 years fully double the above stated number of larch plants 

 from foreign seeds must have been produced in Scotland. 



I have frequently had the opportunity of seeing the dif- 

 ference between the plants grown from Scotch seed and those 

 grown from seeds imported from the continent, and I find it 

 is very great indeed. I have experienced it many years since, 

 and have attributed the dead twiggy state of some planta- 

 tions to the more tender nature of the tree from imported seed. 

 Now, I do not mean to affirm that all the plants grown from 

 imported seed are equally tender ; but I think, from the speci- 

 mens that have lately come under my observation, that during 

 the last twenty years the evil has greatly increased, and that 

 the plants from imported seed generally during that period have 

 become more and more unsuitable for the climate of Scotland. 

 This I account for by the extended cultivation of the tree of late 

 throughout warmer parts of the continent, in France, Germany, 

 and Prussia, from whence the chief importations are made. No 

 doubt, in the native habitat of the tree, it is to be found far 

 hardier than in a cultivated state, in low and warm situations ; 

 for the influence of acclimation extends, no doubt, in both 

 directions — to the endurance of heat as well as of cold, and 

 the seed collectors may be expected to gather them from the 

 trees most convenient, though inured to heat, when they can 

 be obtained at their doors. Now, let it be observed that these 

 remarks respecting the gathering of the seeds in warm localities 

 are only conjectural, having no experience as to where the seeds 

 are gathered, farther than having seen many larch plantations in 

 warm climates, throughout many parts of the continent, and 



