On the Planting of Forest- Trees, 275 



Mount Etna exhibit a remarkable instance of the effect of eleva- 

 tion upon the distribution of trees. Brydone observes, that at the 

 base of that mountain, and for a great way up its sides, forests of 

 chesnut and other deciduous trees prevail ; these are succeeded 

 by a broad belt of pines, which yield in their turn to the severity 

 of the climate as the elevation increases. These additional obser- 

 vations upon the natural causes of the distribution of trees were 

 suggested by the transition from one great family to another, 

 between which nature has drawn so strong a line of distinction. 

 Inquiries of this kind cannot fail to interest the enlightened culti- 

 vator ; for by diligently tracing effects to their causes in the strik- 

 ing phenomena of the distribution of plants, we shall not only be 

 able to arrive at just conclusions with regard to the effect of the 

 more obvious causes which exercise so powerful an influence, but 

 also as to the nature and extent of those scarcely less influential 

 causes which determine that particular distribution we witness 

 in the same climate, and in soils which present little or no appa- 

 rent difference; a path of investigation which is calculated to 

 extend our control over the productive powers of nature, and upon 

 which the writings of Liebig and Sprengel have thrown so much 

 valuable and interesting light. 



The larch {Larix jnnus) appears to be a native of most of the 

 mountainous parts of the south of Europe, and is said to derive 

 its name from Larissa in Thessaly. It abounds on the northern 

 slopes of the whole range of the Alps, chiefly on mica schist, but 

 often on limestone ; and its range is so extensive, that it is found 

 as a dwarfish shrub on the frozen plains that approach the polar 

 circle on both continents. The extensive plantations of the Duke 

 of Athol are on mica schist, in the soil of which the larch appears 

 to prosper better than on any other. Some portions, however, of 

 those plantations are on clay slate to the south, and gneiss to the 

 north. Though this tree may be best adapted to mountainous 

 situations, and the more ancient strata, it nevertheless thrives well 

 on almost every variety of soil except chalk and very wet clays. 

 There are a few trees at Dunkeld which in fifty'years rose to the 

 height of 120 feet : these were planted in the low ground; but 

 the larch thrives rapidly in these plantations at an elevation of 

 1600 feet, and even 1800 feet, above the level of the sea ; while 

 the Scotch fir in the same situation makes scarcely any progress. 

 This superior growth of the larch induced the late duke to plant 

 6500 acres entirely with that tree. 



In the papers of the Highland Society it is reported, from the 

 duke's memoranda, that in his plantations, at an elevation of from 

 900 feet to 1800 feet above the sea, the average growth of the 

 larch is as follows : — For the first fifty years, 16 inches annually 

 in heigh tj and 10 inches per annum for the next twenty- two years. 



