202 THE LARCH. 



in 1736, and had on an average acquired 44 cubic 

 feet of timber. There is another larch tree within a 

 few feet of it of nearly the same dimensions." Besides 

 the two parent larches thus described, there are others, 

 though neither so old nor large, yet of great interest as 

 splendid specimens of timber trees. On the south bank 

 of the river, about a mile above the bridge, and within 

 a few feet of the water's edge, stands as fine a timber 

 tree as the eye could well look upon. It stands on 

 low OTOund, which makes it look smaller and not so tall 

 as it really is when close beside it. When I saw it four- 

 teen years ago, it was estimated at 1 1 5 feet in height, 

 14 feet in girth four feet from the ground, 109 years 

 old, and containing 230 cubic feet of timber. Though 

 not of a fast-growing nature, yet it must now be con- 

 siderably larger. 



At New House park, that part of the grounds where 

 the famous larches grew of which the Athole frigate 

 was built in 1 8 1 8, there stands to-day as fine a larch 

 tree as can be seen in this or any other country, and 

 is doubtless one of the same class and age of tree as 

 those cut on that occasion. It is computed at 120 

 feet in height, perfectly straight, gently tapering, and 

 symmetrical in every part. At a foot from the ground 

 it o-irths I '? feet i o inches, and at five feet from the 

 ground 1 1 feet 2 inches, containing at least 300 cubic 

 feet of as fine timber as ever grew. 



Of the eleven larches at Blair, six only now remain. 

 They are by no means either so large or so handsome 

 as those at Dunkeld of the same age, but are equally 



