64 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



10. The Ardross Working-Plan and Larch Canker, 



By A. D. Richardson. 



Having taken some interest in the larch canker question, it 

 was in the expectation that some fresh Hght had been thrown 

 on the subject that I turned, as I have no doubt others have 

 turned, on the invitation of the Honorary Editor at page 230 of 

 the volume of the Transactions for 1908,^ to the above working- 

 plan, in order to see for myself what the authors had to say 

 regarding it ; and as I understand that the pages of the Trans- 

 actions would be a proper place to discuss the matter, I now 

 seek the opportunity to lay some of my views on their proposals 

 thereanent before the members. 



A perusal of what the authors of the working-plan say about 

 larch canker at once convinces one that they have nothing to 

 add to what was already known regarding it; in fact, I 

 seriously doubt if they are quite au fait of all, or even the 

 major part of, the literature of the subject. If they are, then 

 I have no hesitation in saying that they are simply courting 

 disaster with open eyes ; if they are not, the sooner they 

 realise the danger to which they propose to expose the Ardross 

 plantations the better. 



The fundamental idea with the authors of the plan is to grow 

 larch vigorously, so that it may maintain mastery over the 

 disease (a doctrine to which every one will most willingly 

 subscribe), and this it is proposed to do by the very rational 

 procedure of planting larch only in localities thoroughly suited 

 to it, and by mixing with it another species which is better able 

 to shelter the ground. But while these excellent precepts are 

 laid down by the authors, they, as it seems to me, proceed to 

 defeat the very object they have in view by their method of 

 arranging the plants on the ground. Whether a larch and 

 Scots pine mixture is the best to adopt is perhaps a moot point, 

 and without personal knowledge of the ground it would, of 

 course, be impossible for any one to give an opinion as to the 

 advisability of using it in this case ; but what strikes one most 

 forcibly is that the authors of the plan have no faith in their 

 own proposals. " If the disease is to be reduced, or perhaps 

 gradually cured, this can be done," they say, "only by growing 



' The Note referred to is not an editorial. — Hon. Ed. 



