I 6 THE LARCH. 



the grosser parts of such buildmgs, such as beams, 

 lintels, joists, and couples." 



Venice turpentine is obtained by boring the larch 

 when it has attained its full vigour as a tree ; but this 

 ruins the timber, and it is never practised in Britain. 



In the '' Masque of the Queens," Ben Jonson makes 

 a witch say — 



" Yes, I have brought to help your vows, 

 Horned poppy, cypress boughs, 

 The fig- tree wild, which grows on tombs, 

 And juice which from the larch-tree comes." 



The larch is not very easily transplanted when of 

 considerable size. Sir Henry Stewart says of it in 

 this respect : " Its roots are not disposed to become 

 fibrous, nor is it at all patient of removal when it 

 attains a height of from 20 to 30 feet. In this re- 

 spect the Larix ijendula, or black larch, is much to be 

 preferred, as being a hardier tree as well as a more 

 rapid grower." 



The rot in larch wood is a disease that has up to 

 this time baffled all the attempts of physiologists to 

 ascertain its cause or cure, and thousands of acres of 

 what would have been valuable timber have been 

 ruined by it. Sang, in the ''Planter's Calendar," men- 

 tions its first appearance in Fife in 18 12. It had 

 previously been referred to by Loudon in his treatises 

 on country residences in 1808. Mr. Gorrie and Mr. 

 Munro also referred to it in the " Quarterly Journal of 

 Agriculture." Eeports on the diseases of the larch 

 likewise appeared in the Society's "Transactions" for 



