40 THE LAECH. 



The season of the year at which the larch is gene- 

 rally most endangered by winds is in September and 

 October, when it is most abundantly clothed with 

 foliage. On the memorable 3d October i860 there 

 was an immense number of larch trees blown down all 

 over Scotland, so much so that the market was for a 

 time quite blocked with wood. 



On the 28th December 1879 and 14th October 

 1 8 8 1 there were severe gales, which prostrated great 

 numbers of larch and other trees in Perthshire and 

 adjoining counties. On His Grace the Duke of 

 Athole's estates at Blair and Dunkeld there were, 

 on the memorable night of the Tay Bridge' accident, 

 upwards of 80,000 trees blown down, and the same 

 has to be recorded of many September and October 

 gales. When, however, a gale occurs at any other 

 season of the year, nothing especially serious is likely 

 to take place; for although, when clothed with 

 foliage, it is more liable than most other coniferse to 

 be blown down, yet when defoliated it is less liable 

 than any others. October and March are the two 

 months in the year in which the greatest numbers of 

 forest trees are blown down, and therefore, though the 

 larch is at its worst state to withstand the October or 

 autumn blast, it is at its best to meet the vernal 

 equinox. 



When grown as a single tree, it ought to be a com- 

 plete cone in its younger state of growth ; but, when 

 advanced in years, its top almost invariably becomes 

 damaged, and ultimately it spreads and forms an irre- 



