SOILS AXD SITUATIONS. 3 I 



guish, if they do not die, in a sunless wet one. Or again, 

 in a dry situation, where whins, Szc, have contributed 

 to make the ground still more dry, the trees flourish and 

 make excellent growths in a wet season, while they 

 almost die for want of moisture in a dry one. Xow, 

 on an estate where larch is grown in both extremes of 

 soil and situation, it is quite obvious that an extreme 

 season, whether of drought or moisture, must prove 

 highly injurious to the one, and equally beneficial to 

 the other. 



In 1868, memorable for its dryness, many larch 

 trees, and even plantations, perished for want of 

 moisture; and in 1872, memorable for its cold and 

 wetness, plantations in ravines and damp places suf- 

 fered seriously; and the results of season 1879 were 

 much the same, or worse than those of 1872. It will 

 therefore appear evident that extremes of wet or dry 

 are alike inimical to larch, and therefore the mean is 

 safest and best, which is secured by planting only on 

 such ground where, if under barley crop, satisfactory 

 results miqht be looked for. 



The larch, as already said, is also very tender in 

 its foliage, and therefore must be grown under conditions 

 where it is not severely exposed to adverse winds. 

 It is also very liable to be injured by frost, and for 

 that reason ought not to be planted in situations much 

 exposed to it, which, by an intimate acquaintance of 

 the district, is easily ascertained. Spring frosts are in 

 all cases more to be dreaded and guarded against than 

 autumn ones ; indeed it is rare that autumn frosts do 



