237 



commonly obtained by boring a hole in the tree and inserting a pipe ; this turpentine has 

 always been considered useful in chronic rheumatism and paralysis, gravel-complaints, 

 scurvy and pulmonic disorders. 



The lai'ch, when allowed plenty of room, makes a very handsome ornamental tree ; 

 its grand habit, with bright green foliage and purple flowers makes it exceedingly beautiful. 

 Placed on lawns surrounding the country villa it has a remarkably fine efiect ; being per- 

 fectly hardy it is never injured by severe weather. 



PROPAGATION AND CULTURE. 



Though the cones are at their full size in autumn, they are not quite ripe until the 

 beginning of winter, which is the best time to gather them. The seeds in their cones will 

 remain good for years, yet out of their cones they lose their vegetating quality in a few 

 months, therefore, as soon as they are out of the cones, they should be mixed with dry 

 sand and kept in bags or boxes until the season for sowing, which is as early in spring 

 as the ground will permit ; when the cones are exposed to the sun a few days the seeds 

 are easily threshed out. They should be sown in finely made beds of 'sandy loam, and 

 covered with nearly half an inch of fine compost mixed with sand. If kept moist by 

 gentle watering, they will begin to appear in four or five weeks ; they must be partially 

 shaded, because when newly up they are very tender, and a few hours of the full sun would 

 completely destroy them. The following spring they should be pricked out four or five inches 

 apart in bed or in rows ; in the succeeding spring they should again be transplanted at 

 wider distances, in rows three feet apart and fifteen inches apart in the row, and allowed 

 to remain two years, by which time they will be four to six feet high, and of the proper 

 size to transplant in exposed situations. 



In favourable situations, when they are well protected, they do better when planted 

 of smaller size, say three years from the seed, they start more freely and make more rapid 

 progress. Experienced planters have long ago decided that the larch should be planted 

 entirely by itself, because of its quick growth it soon outgrows all other trees, and when 

 scattered thinly throughout the forest, the tender top shoots are apt to be dan; aged 

 by high winds ; they do best when planted thickly because they shelter one another ; they 

 are often planted as near as three feet and some times as near as two feet, but I would 

 prefer the former distance ; planted at this distance thay rapidly shoot up straight, clean, 

 and healthy. At three feet apart an acre contains about 4,900 ; in this state they should 

 be allowed to remain six or seven years, when they will have attained the height of 

 twenty feet, if they have been well cultivated the first three or four years ; they should 

 then be thinned for the first time by takipg out every alternate row, the thinnings make 

 the best quality of hop-poles, worth at present a-bout five cents apiece — 2,450 poles at 

 five cents brings $122.50. Then being allowed to remain in this state about three years 

 longer, they should have the second thinning. By taking out every alternate tree in the 

 row, this would leave them six feet apart each way ; the thinnings are now five to six 

 inches through, and are worth ten cents apiece for boat masts and yards, supports in mines, 

 etc. — 1,225 spars at ten cents brings $122.50. After growing five years at this distance 

 they should be fiaally thinned out to twelve feet apart; the trees will now be seven to 

 ten inches through and over thirty feet high, can be sawed into rafters, fencing, flooring, 

 etc., and are worth at least twenty -five cents apiece — 612 spars at twenty-five cents brings 

 $153, Now, if we suppose that the sale of poles and spars would be sufficient te defray 

 the expenses of making and upholding the plantation, and that each tree still remaining 

 on an acre, say fifteen years after planting, is worth only twenty-five cents, the value of 

 612 trees is $153, there would be a handsome profit after allowing $2 a year for rent, 

 which for fifteen years would be $30, and a great deal of land suitable for growing the 

 larch would not rent for more than half that amount. Now the expenses cease, because 

 the forest can be pastured with sheep without danger of injury to the trees ; the increase 

 in value is now much more rapid, the annual increase of the circumference of the trees 

 will average one and one-half inches until they nearly reach matui'ity, which is in about 

 fifty years after planting. The trees will then average thirty to forty inches in diameter, 

 three feet from the butt. Each tree will produce about 450 feet of lumber at $25 per 



