202 Ike Jotirnal of Forestry. 



country operating upon trees "with a fair amount of skill and knowledge 

 for some months every year, who could furnish full statistics bearing on 

 all the various points connected with pruning ; and if all these results 

 were gathered up and compared, we should then have no difficulty in 

 coming to a safe conclusion on the whole question. No doubt it will take 

 years before this can be accomplished, but surely no one will grudge either 

 the time or the labour necessary to attain such an important result. 



EOBEIIT Baxteb. 

 Forester. 

 Dalkeith Park, U/h June, 1877. 



THE POPLAR TREE. 



Sir, — Under the above heading, at page 112 of last number, "An 

 Amateur " says, " I am aware there is a valuable wood in Canada known 

 as hacmefac,* which is, I believe, a species of poplar, .... But whether 

 we have this tree, and what its habits of growth may be, I do not know ; " 

 and goes on to ask some forester on the other side of the Atlantic to 

 enlighten him on this tree. Perhaps the following description of this 

 "species of poplar" will suit "An Amateur," and interest others. 

 Hacmatack, tamarac, or larch, is Zarix Americana, and common in 

 Ontario, where it grows to be a tree from C to 10', rarely exceeding twelve 

 inches diameter, and from 50 to 100 feet high. It has a geographical 

 distribution from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, from Southern Pennsylvania 

 to North of Lake Superior. The timber is harder and heavier than 

 white pine, and much more durable. In the Atlantic Provinces hacmatack 

 grows to be a much larger tree. Its favourite habitat is marshy swamp, 

 and there are some extensive tracts in which no other tree grows. On the 

 St. John, Miramichi, Richibucto, and other rivers, ships of the largest 

 class are built with this tree, and only finished with white pine and black 

 spruce. Larix Europea grows to be a much finer tree than Americana. 



D. Sym Scott, Forester, 



Ballinacourie, Tipperary, Zrd June, 1877. 



* ["AnAmateur " has evidently confounded "Hacmatack," Larix Americana , 

 or pendula, with "Tacamahac," Populus halsamifera, both natives of North 

 America. — Md. J. of Fi} 



