174 THE LARCH. 



pared with level ground. Much of the soil in the 

 Athole forests is too clayey and wet for the proper 

 growth of larch, and but for the sloping nature of the 

 ground would fail to grow it at all, or at least to 

 valuable dimensions. The soil, therefore, though too 

 stiff and w^et to grow larch on flat ground, will never- 

 theless grow it comparatively well upon an inclining 

 surface. 



Again, the Athole forests are far inland and beyond 

 the influence of the sea, an advantage which many 

 districts, otherwise suitable, do not possess. 



On elevated grounds the effects of frost are little 

 felt compared with low and damp situations, and in 

 this respect also the Athole larch (with few exceptions) 

 enjoys an advantage few others possess. 



The cjreat extent of forest, too, contributes its bene- 

 ficial influence by modifying and softening hard blight- 

 ing winds, which greatly damage the foliage in early 

 summer ; the irregular surface of the ground (hill and 

 vale) also acts in a similar way. 



An immense advantage given to the Athole larch 

 forests was the distance apart at which the trees were 

 planted. It is true, close planting and early thinning 

 will accomplish the same end, but it rarely happens 

 that thinning is done in time to prevent the death of 

 the lower tier of branches. As well may we expect 

 an animal to be healthy and thriving with only one 

 lung, as look for a tree to be so with only a few 

 branches at the top. The plants were in general small, 

 and were planted without burying the roots too deep 



