STUDY XI. 295 



regions of Norway. The larch, which takes equal 

 pleafure in the cold mountains, has a very refinous 

 trunk. 



Mathiola, in his ufeful commentary on Diofco- 

 rides, informs us, that there is no fubftance more 

 proper than the charcoal of thefe trees, for promptly 

 melting the iron minerals, in the vicinity of which 

 they peculiarly thrive. They are, befides, loaded 

 with molTes, fome fpecies of which catch fire from 

 the flighted fpark. He relates, that being obliged, 

 on a certain occafion, to pafs the night in the lofty 

 mountains of the Strait of Trento, where he was 

 botanizing, he found there a great quantity of 

 larches [larix) bearded all over, to ufe his own ex- 

 preflîon, and completely whitened with mofs. The 

 fhepherds of the place, willing to amufe him, fet fire 

 to the moffes of fome of thofe trees, which was 

 immediately communicated with the rapidity of 

 gunpowder touched with the match. Amidft the 

 obfcurity of the night, the flame and the fparks 

 feemed to afcend up to the very Heavens. They 

 diffufed, as they burnt, a very agreeable perfume. 

 He farther remarks, that the belt agaricum grows 

 upon the larch, and that the arquebufiers of his 

 time made ufe of it for keeping up fire, and for 

 making matches. Thus Nature, in crowning the 

 fummit of cold and ferruginous mountains with 

 tliofe vafl vegetable torches, has placed the match 



v 4 in 



