SOILS AND SITUATIONS. 33 



yet it is naturally less suited than some others to 

 stand severe exposure. The larch forms its young 

 wood later in the season than any other forest tree, 

 often growing till the end of October, the top shoot 

 extending upwards in some cases at the rate of nearly 

 half-an-inch daily. It is often subjected at that season 

 of the year to high winds, which prove injurious 

 to the tender shoots, especially the top ones. It is 

 often in consequence of the tender top shoot sustain- 

 ing damage by high winds that plurality of tops are 

 produced, and hence also the short trunk and broad 

 bushy top of trees highly situated and much exposed. 

 Severe exposure produces another bad effect upon 

 larch, especially such as are upon the side of a hill 

 open to the prevailing wind, by inclining them to 

 one side. All larches thus exposed grow up with the 

 greatest number of branches situated upon the sheltered 

 side of the tree. If the tree is freely exposed to the 

 south, the greatest number of branches will be upon 

 the north side, the consequence of which is that the 

 tree becomes bent like a bow, the arc being to the 

 north, and the chord to the south. The pith of the 

 tree, too, is nearest the south side, upon which side 

 the zones or annual layers of wood are thinner than 

 upon the north side. The cause of the difference of 

 thickness of zones on opposite sides of the tree is 

 caused by the additional increase of woody matter 

 formed in the vicinity of the branches. Whatever 

 side of a tree is most abundantly clothed with branches, 

 upon that side the bark is furthest removed from the 



