I I 6 THE LARCH. 



of vegetation. In many of the Highland districts of 

 Scotland, it may be observed filling the straths with 

 massive timber, and ascending the mountain sides 

 associated with the native pine ; and with the excep- 

 tion of that tree, perhaps no other plant, native or 

 foreign, was ever spread over so great a space in so 

 short a period." When the whole structure of the 

 tree is studied, it will be seen how thoroughly it is 

 adapted to the soil, situations, climate, and other con- 

 ditions under which it is destined to grow to perfection. 

 The roots take a wonderful hold and establish them- 

 selves ; amongst the barest of rocks, they succeed in 

 anchoring gigantic trees. The barer the soil, the 

 better, one would think, do the roots establish their 

 hold. The limbs ever and anon extend in bold defi- 

 ance against the wind and tempest, and, like the bold 

 warrior, show unmistakable signs of sanguine combat. 

 The tree in some exposures seldom makes headway 

 more than a few seasons in succession, when some 

 adverse blast or hurricane stops its vertical growth 

 and sets it off at a tangent, in which new direction it 

 proceeds till it constitutes one of those unique but 

 picturesque projectiles seen in faithfully executed 

 pictures of an Alpine landscape. The arm is not, 

 however, allowed to proceed and extend at pleasure 

 and unmolested, for the wind assails it with unmiti- 

 gated violence, and though it seldom succeeds in 

 dismembering the limb altogether, yet so far shatters 

 and breaks it, as to make it pendulate in humble 

 submission; and if the wind proves unequal to the 



