1793. on the value and uses of the larch tree. 95. 
ver, burn much more slowly than the brufh wood of © 
other trees ; which by getting up into a blaze, are. 
suddenly consumed, and require a continual feeding 
and great attention to get a fire of a moderate equa- 
bility of heat. For this reason bru/b wood is en- 
tirely rejected for firing, wherever billets can be ob- 
tained at a moderate expence ; but larch bruh burns 
more slowly, and affords a heat nearly as equable as 
billets of other wood. It is only of late, and in a very 
few places in Scotland, that the people have had an op- 
portunity of remarking this peculiarity of the larch ; 
and though this use of it would not have readily oc- 
curred as obvious to a speculative inquirer, it was 
very soon discovered im practice, by the few trials 
that were made of it. It has, been found to be so 
s . - . . 
much more valuable for this use ina district south of 
the Tweed in Scotland, where coal is at a great dis- 
tance, and fuel of course scarce, that the people are 
ready to buy it at a much higher price than bruth 
of any other kind. This circumstance has induced 
a geutleman of eminence in the literary line, to aban- 
don the planting of firs almost entirey, which he be- 
gan with chiefly for firewood, and to substitute larch 
in their stead. 
All the uses of the larix above mentioned ar, 
intended to fhow what benefits may be derived from 
a plantation of larch trees, at a very early period of 
their growth ; and to demonstrate that under judi- 
cious management, a man may, even within the fhort 
space of five or six years from the time of planting, 
in many situations, begin to draw profit from these 
plantations ; but when the wood is allowed to ate 
tain mature age and perfection, there are still other 
