14 THE LARCH. 



vial soils, and 3 on soil of a clayey character. The 

 finest trees are on loamy soil in Dumbartonshire, on 

 brown loam at Inveraray, on sandy soil at Dunblane, 

 on the same in Kincardine, and on light alluvial soil 

 at Dunkeld. 



"Altitude ahove the Sea. — The mean average of five 

 of the finest trees is 206 feet above the sea-level; 

 taking twenty-nine of which returns are given, it is 

 461 feet. The highest are three trees at Crathie in 

 Aberdeenshire, that are 1 1 1 o feet above the sea ; the 

 lowest tree in the abstract is that at Old Kilpatrick, 

 which is only 60 feet above the sea. 



" Exposure and Aspect. — Of forty-two trees, 8 have a 

 north aspect ; from north to south, 3 ; all quarters, 2 ; 

 east-south-east, 6 ; south, 1 1 ; south-west, 3 ; south- 

 east, 5 ; north-east, I ; sheltered, 3. 



" Weight of Timber. — According to Hartig, larch, 

 when green, weighs 6Z lbs. 13 oz. per cubic foot; 

 when dry, 36 lbs. 6 oz. 



" Value as Timher. — Trees produced on good soil 

 have timber of a yellowish- white colour ; that of those 

 grown on cold, elevated situations and poor soil is 

 reddish-brown and very hard. In a suitable situation 

 the timber comes to perfection in forty years, while that 

 of the Scottish pine takes eighty years. Charcoal made 

 from larch is very heavy, and said to be excellent for 

 iron foundries. The bark of the young tree is astrin- 

 gent, and is used for tanning leather. The objection 

 to the wood of larch is, that it is very difficult to 

 season, it is almost impossible to keep it from bending 



