98 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



an important one, and this report is a considerable addition 

 to the growing stock of literature dealing with the subject. 



In the second volume Gunnar Schotte gives about 300 pages 

 of Swedish text to a report on " The Larch and its Importance 

 in Swedish Forest Economy." This account deals so thoroughly 

 with the larch — a tree of the first importance in Britain — that, 

 if space permitted, long extracts would be made. It is curious 

 to note how much the cultivation of larch in Sweden was 

 dependent on our British, and particularly Scottish, pioneer 

 work. This may be attributed to the fact that Swedish land- 

 owners came to Britain during the first half of the eighteenth 

 century to study agriculture. Later, the advent of Germans 

 into Swedish forestry brought about the introduction of German 

 seed which gradually ousted that of British origin. The results 

 were unsatisfactory, and, with the exception of Nilson, who studied 

 larch in Scotland, Swedish foresters are inclined to be sceptical 

 of the larch as a forest tree. Schotte considers this undesirable 

 state has resulted from the introduction of unsuitable races. 

 His opinion is that Silesian and Scottish seeds produce stems 

 of straighter growth than those of Tyrolese origin. In his 

 investigations, he placed the trees in classes, namely : — 



As c trees those that are crooked and branchy (including the 

 worst "wolf-trees"); badly forked and very crooked specimens 

 are put in class cc. 



As (c) are classed those with minor bends which would not 

 have a serious effect on the timber. 



In class d are placed trees damaged by their neighbours, 

 while (d) includes trees in overcrowded patches, but whose 

 crowns are not deformed. 



Class e includes diseased trees, and f dead and dry trees. 

 The last four classes are only of subsidiary importance, being 

 products of methods of management. 



In woods of Scottish origin only 1 per cent, to 6 per cent, of 

 c and up to 20 per cent, of (c) trees were found. In those of 

 Tyrolese origin 5 per cent, to 39 per cent, were c trees and 

 6 per cent, to 30 per cent, were {c). 



In 1904, when this Society visited the Omberg Crown Park, 

 the members were impressed by the fineness of the larch stems 

 growing there. Not knowing that they were of "the Scottish 

 race " an offer was made of some genuine Scottish larch seed 

 for experimental purposes. The seeds sent were sown in 1905 



