54 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL, SOCIETY. 



longest, with the Japanese species this is not so. In it, only a 

 few main branches develop, and these, as they grow older, stand 

 out almost horizontally from the stem ; the secondary branches 

 hang perpendicularly from them, and so cut themselves off from 

 the sun, and remain with uni'ipened tips. Under too much shade, 

 the branch and shoot development of the European larch is very 

 similar to this. In an isolated position, L. lejjtolepis suffers very 

 much from wind, from which, however, it obtains effective side 

 shelter in a closely planted crop. But whenever the stem- 

 cleaning process begins, and the branches formed in early life are 

 dead, it becomes quite impossible for the few branches of the 

 later period to maintain the earlier rate of development. This 

 period will commence between the fifteenth and the twenty-fifth 

 years, according to the degree of density of the stock. If, in the 

 experimental stations, remarkable results have at first been ob- 

 tained by means of close planting, the retrogression, when it sets 

 in, will be equally remarkable. The present abundant production 

 of cones warns us that this period will shortly commence, and its 

 arrival will occur the sooner because the restriction of gi'owing- 

 space does not accord with the natural requirements of the tree. 

 Nothing short of a perfectly free position will keep Larue leptolepis 

 alive ; and on account of the small number of its principal 

 branches, and the bushy nature of its small secondary branches, 

 it will, during its later years, be no ornament to our parks. 

 The author holds that in consequence of its special require- 

 ments in the way of light and moisture, and its peculiarities of 

 stem-growth and branch-growth, the Japanese larch is unsuitable 

 for cultivation in German forests. 



After noticing its attack by several species of insects and 

 fungi, including Agaricus melleus, he repeats his belief that 

 Peziza Willkommii avoids all vigorously growing larches, and 

 attacks only such as are in bad health. He then goes on to 

 say that we need not be surprised if the vigorously growing 

 young Japanese larch escapes infection by Peziza. Professor 

 Hennings of Berlin has, however, proved the occurrence, since 

 1895, of the disease on this species, in the Friedrichsruhe Park.^ 

 The author first found it in certain Prussian experimental 

 stations, which had i-eached the appropriate stage of unhealthi- 



^ Traiisciotifms of tJie Natural History Society of Schleswirj-Holstein, vol. xi, 

 part 1. 



