7 2 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



pine rotation. Generally speaking, the growth and productivity 

 of Scots pine is quite satisfactory up to that age; it is there- 

 after that the falling off takes place unless the conditions are 

 favourable to its growth. If the market for Scots pine pit-wood 

 remains, this method would give a satisfactory return, while any 

 lost fertility of soil due to the larch crop would be restored. In 

 the author's opinion, attention should be directed to this use 

 of Scots pine. Every effort should be made at least to maintain 

 the fertility of our forest soils. The financial success of silvicul- 

 tural methods should be measured by several rotations, not by 

 the first one alone. 



The timber of larch is strong and durable even when in 

 contact with soil and moisture. Its only disadvantage is its 

 weight. It has a wide range of uses, for fencing posts, telegraph 

 poles, boarding for special purposes, and pit-wood. 



Larch will remain one of our principal forest trees, but it will 

 require more careful choice of location and skilful tending than 

 it has hitherto enjoyed. 



Japanese Larch (Larix leptolepis). 



The habitat of this species is the mountains of Japan. It has 

 been fairly widely planted in this country during the last thirty 

 years. 



For a considerable time it was believed that Japanese larch 

 was immune from larch canker. This is not so, but up to the 

 present it has suffered much less than the European species. 

 Every effort should be made to ensure that this relative 

 immunity continues, so far as that can be done by careful 

 choice of location and tending. 



The principal feature of the growth of Japanese larch 

 is the falling off in height-growth at an early age. There 

 are practically no woods of this species in this country of a 

 sufficient age to determine this question finally, but the older 

 trees we have certainly indicate a marked falling off. This 

 appears to be the case in Japan. According to Kume the 

 height-growth up to the 30th year is very fast, viz. 68 feet 

 for Quality L, 60 feet for Quality II., and 58 feet for Quality III. 

 Thereafter, however, there is a marked decline in height 

 increment. 



As regards soil requirements, this species appears to be less 

 exacting than European larch. Japanese larch generally gives 



