208 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARHORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



winters, the mode of treatment differs but little from that of 

 common nursery stock, and the cost of rearing is but little more. 



It is to be noted that small birds are exceedingly fond of the 

 seeds — red lead being of no use as a protection — consequently 

 it is necessary to protect the beds with bird-proof netting as soon 

 as they are sown. 



The tree is of rapid growth and is sufficiently hardy to with- 

 stand an open exposure. The stem is always very straight, and 

 the slender side branches and the flexible nature of the tree 

 make it little liable to destruction by storms. 



I believe that a plantation formed of this tree, pure or in 

 mixture with the common larch — both being about equal in rate 

 of growth — would help to prevent the spread of the larch 

 disease. Unlike the common spruce the hemlock will not act 

 as a nest for the chermes. 



The durability ^ of the timber grown in this country is not 

 known — it is harder and closer grained than the common spruce, 

 while the rate of growth is much more rapid, and altogether the 

 tree is worthy of cultivation on all situations suited to its 

 growth. 



A general method practised in rearing shade-bearing conifers 

 in a frosty situation is to rear in advance a protective fore- 

 growth of some hardy varieties — generally birch, but larch has 

 also been tried in this way. An area of about 30 acres was 

 cleared in 1904 of a fully matured crop of larch and oak. In 

 1907-8 most of the ground was planted with larch at 10 to 12 

 feet apart. In 19 10 the spaces between were filled in with 

 Douglas fir, a part being tried with Cupressus Lajvsoniana and 

 Thuja gi'gantia. It was expected by this means that the larch 

 would have a sufficient ascendency over the Douglas firs, and 

 that it would act as a nurse to these and also form a protection 

 against damage by frost, while by such isolation the chances of 

 spreading the larch disease would be less. All varieties have 

 done exceedingly well, but from the fast-growing nature of the 

 Douglas fir it looks as if these will soon overtop the larch. 

 Perhaps the planting of the Douglas fir should have been 

 deferred for a year or two longer. 



^ The Canadian. Forestry Joiitvial, vol. ix., No. 4, April 1913, p. 57, 

 reports the "life" of railway sleepers as follows: — Cedar, 9 years; larch, 

 8 years ; hemlock, 7 years ; Douglas fir, 7 years ; Jack pine and spruce, 

 6 years. Hon. Ed., Transactions. 



