LARCH 123 



of 1820, and they had previously been planted for some 

 time at the rate of two hundred thousand a year. The 

 first British war vessel built of larch was the 36-gun 

 frigate, the Atholl, laid down at Woolwich in 18 19, the 

 whole of the timber employed in its construction coming 

 from the Atholl woods. 



The larch is now found all over Britain, and will grow 

 on almost any soil, no matter how poor, if not absolutely 

 arid or a mere swamp. It reaches ordinarily a height of 

 about a hundred feet, though sometimes considerably more, 

 and may have a diameter at base of nearly five feet. Larch 

 timber is in great request for its toughness and durability. 

 From its bitter, resinous nature worms will not touch it ; 

 it does not warp or split, and it will take a fine polish. 

 Before the employment of canvas larch was much used by 

 the older painters, Raffaelle's " Transfiguration " and many 

 other fine works being painted on larch-board. The value 

 of the tree was well known to the Romans, its timber 

 being commended by Pliny, Vitruvius, and other writers. 

 It was called by them larix, hence its botanical name. 

 Venice stands largely upon piles of larch. 



The larch throws up an erect central trunk, the lateral 

 branches being nearly horizontal, and diminishing in size 

 upwards, so that the tree is of tapering form. It is the 

 only cone-bearing tree that sheds its leaves each Autumn ; 

 all others are evergreen. It is, therefore, not broken down 

 by weight of snow, and seldom affected by boisterous wintry 

 gales. It comes into leaf in April, the foliage being of a 

 particularly vivid green. One enthusiastic writer describes 

 the tree as then " a pyramid of beryl," while another writes 

 of "its emerald glory." Another calls the foliage " a lively 



