CHAP, cxiii. coni'fer^. la^uix. 2393 



produce a greater effect on the sunny side of mountains than on the opposite. 

 The tallest larches do not always contain the greatest quantity of timber, as is 

 instanced in the case of two trees which were felled on the 1st of June, 1829, 

 aged 82 years. The one, which was only 97 ft. in length, yielded 138 cubic 

 feet ; while the other, which was 104 ft. in length, only gave 81 cubic feet. 



" One of the greatest Advantages of planting Larch is derived from its 

 peculiar property of thriving in very elevated situations. Immense extents 

 of mountain ranges may thus be applied to useful purposes, which other- 

 wise would have been quite unavailable. The Scotch pine thrives at an 

 elevation below 900 ft.; but the larch ascends to 1600 ft. above the sea, 

 and it may ascend higher. This is an important fact, in a national point 

 of view. Much of the mountain land of Great Britain, which is at pre- 

 sent worthless, may grow timber to supply her navy and merchant ship- 

 ping, without at all interfering with the land which produces her cereal crops, 

 or even her fine pasture land in a lower situation. But here the duke antici- 

 pates an objection which might be started by some, and that is, whether the 

 larch will certainly become useful timber at these elevations. ' An argument,' 

 says he, ' may, indeed, arise, whether, all the upper part of the mountain being 

 rugged, trees can grow in many parts to stand for timber, at 400 per acre. 

 Reasoning from the experience of 43 years, which proves trees fully to that 

 extent per acre to contain 10 or 15 cubic feet or more of wood already to 

 exist, I am clearly of opinion that 400 trees may grow, within 70 years, to 

 average one load of wood or more, at a height of from 1200 to 1600 ft. above 

 the sea ; and the researches which the larch makes with its roots among the 

 crevices of the rocks and the shivered fragments are such, and the ground so 

 found being virgin soil, that, along with the rains and mists imbibed by the 

 tops, and invigorating the trunk, I am quite convinced they will have the effect 

 to produce a load of timber, or more, within the period mentioned. Some of 

 the trees, of the age of 57 years, cut in 1816, among rocks fully as rugged as 

 those described, exceeded 60, and some 70, cubic feet of wood; and the 223 

 cut from similar situations averaged, at 57 years of age, 40 cubic feet of 

 timber, laid down at Woolwich dockyard in 1817.' 



" Mountain Planting may be very well illustrated by the following diagram ; 

 in which the space occupied by the larch is seen to exceed greatly in height 

 the site of every other species of useful tree. It also occupies, in common 

 with the other trees, the ground at the lowest level ; so that its range of 

 growth is extensive. 



—'1600 



— 1500 



— 1400 

 Larch & — 1300 



Spruce. —1200 



—1 1100 Heath 

 — JlOOO Thick 

 —I 900 and short. 



" These elevated regions are far above the range of the vegetation of the 

 Scotch pine. This is a dull heavy-looking tree in large plantations : it can- 

 not withstand a strong wind ; and it decays, in Britain, after it has attained 

 an age of from 70 to 80 years. The larch is quite the opposite in all these 

 respects ; and it will supjjly ship-timber at a great height above the region of 

 oak. Besides the almost immeasurable extent of ground thus obtained, by 

 means of the larch, for the growth of ship-timber, it is a more profitable tree 

 in that respect than the oak. An English acre of larch, at 12 ft. apart, will 

 give 302 trees per acre. 



