48 '-f^ie JStirojjeaii Larch — Its 2>i(raOil>fj'. 



" Since then I have seen it stated that in Europe it was considered almost fire-proof, 

 and was used for the decks of vessels on that account. Now if it contains such an 

 amount of resinous matter, as some say it does, why will it not burn ? That it does 

 not contain much resinous matter grown in this country is certain, but that it is not 

 durable on that account does not necessarily follow, for we find the Ked Cedar, the 

 most durable of all wood, contains little or none of this property. We also find that 

 the sap-wood of the Red Cedar decays very easily, and that it is the heart-wood 

 that lasts so long. So I tliink we will find it the same with the larch, and we should 

 not be too hasty in condemning it, judging from the experiment we have made with 

 nothing but saplings, only three or four inches in diameter." 



In the December number of The Horticulturist, just received, the Professor 

 has another article on the same subject, in which he says, he does not see any point 

 upon which he and Gr. B. 13. will materially difi'er, yet he seems to difi"er in almost 

 every essential point. He says he thinks the claim made for the durability of the 

 European Larch rests entirely on its resinous properties. He says he thinks there 

 must be some mistake about its burning properties in Europe, and further says: " It 

 is well understood that Venice turpentine is manufactured from the wood of the 

 European Larch, and I an) quite sure it will burn." 



After looking his December article carefully over, I do not see that he has advanced 

 anything new, it is substantially the san)e as his May article. 



Gr. B. B. candidly admits, in his September article, that he has had little experi- 

 ence with this tree, aside from the experiment quoted above, from which he has drawn 

 such strong comtnon sense conclusions, that we agree with the Professor when he says : 

 " When such gentlemen take hold, we have a fair prospect of getting to the bottom of 

 the question at issue." 



On looking over the Professor's two articles, we are led to the conclusion that he 

 has had no more experience with this tree than Gr. B. B. has had, therefore let us 

 look a little further and see how the matter stands, as regards the diff'crences between 

 the European Larch grown in this country, and grown in Europe. To begin with, 

 we fully admit the truth of what Loudon says — as quoted in the Professor's article — 

 and we will go further, and admit that both resinous trees, and n)any trees not 

 resinous, "are of greater durability, when grown in cool climates, and in hilly and 

 poor districts, than when grown in rich soil and in warm climates." This is a fact 

 so well-known, that many of our Illinois tree growers have been collecting information 

 for several years, in regard to the larch and other trees, endeavoring to ascertain how 

 far north and south they can be grown in a healthy condition, and they have already 

 found that the European Larch is quite as vigorous at Louisville, Kentucky, as in 

 this climate, and judging from a tree eighteen inches in diameter when cut down, the 

 timber is similar to that grown in Europe and in this State. 



The resinous properties of the Europeaji Larch. — I do not recollect of ever seeing 

 but one instance where a European writer ascribed the durability of the larch to its 

 resinous properties, and that was in the case of a log-house, that the author claimed 

 was preserved from decay by the resin, that had formed a coating over the surface of 

 the logs ; but we need not go to Europe to test the preservative properties of the 

 resinous matter in timber ; our own Balsam Fir has a bountiful supply, and yet it 



