LARCH SEED. I 85 



larch, though exceedingly vigorous at first, begins to slacken in 

 growth about the twenty-fifth year, and is then beaten by the home 

 larch. I am not at all sure whether this belief is based on careful 

 observation in Japan or on continental experience.^ 



There are not very many Japanese larches older than twenty- 

 five years in this country. Mr Maxwell of Kiikennan, brought 

 home seed from Japan twenty-five years ago. They were planted 

 at Munches, in the spring of 1885, and have so far showed no sign 

 of ceasing to grow. All made good growths in 19 10. I also wrote 

 to the Earl of Ducie on this question, and, in his opinion, the 

 Japanese larch at Tortworth, of about the same age, is still growing 

 vigorously. On the other hand, Mr Michie, of Balmoral, thinks 

 that the Japanese larch does slacken off in vigour at about this age. 



It is, perhaps, too soon to be certain on this point. But some 

 hold that the Japanese larch grows so vigorously that it yields a 

 profitable crop at the age of twenty-five years, and if this is the 

 case, it is obviously well worth growing in Scotland. 



On the whole, all the evidence which has come to my notice 

 seems to point to the use either of Tyrolese or of Japanese seed. 

 I do not think any forester would prefer continental Scots pine 

 seed to that obtained from Scottish trees. The advantage of 

 European larch seed over the home seed is, to my mind, even 

 more marked. 



Authorities. 



1. CiESLAR, Centr. f. d. ges. Forstwesen 1904, Heft i, Wien. 



2. Engler, Arnold, Mitteil. d. Schweiz. Centr. f. d. Forst. 



Versuch, 8 Band, 1905. 



3. ScHOTT. Centralblatt, Band 99, 1905, p. 527. 



4. KiRCHNER, LoEW u. ScHROTER, Lebcnsgeschichtc d. 



Bliitenspflanzen v. Mittel-Europa, 1908. 



5. Bartholomew, Physical Atlas, 1893. 



^ Mr S. J. Gammell of Drumtochty thinks that Bavarian experiments are 

 responsible for this belief. 



VOL. XXIV part II. 



