PINACE^ 271 



oblong, composed of numerous stamens, enclosed at the base by 

 brown fimbriated scales. Female flowers erect, cone-like, with 

 long, often bright-coloured bracts, the points usually bending 

 outwards or distinctly recurved, set in a circle of partly developed 

 leaves surrounded by brown, fringed scales. Cones usually short- 

 stalked, erect, ripening the first year, shedding the seed during 

 autumn or the following spring, and remaining on the tree for an 

 indefinite period ; scales rounded above, stallied at the base, 

 each accompanied by a bract which at flowering time greatly 

 exceeds the scale in length ; often green, reddish or purple during 

 development, brown and woody when mature, the bract at matur- 

 ity either hidden or slightly exceeding the scale in length. Seeds 

 small, each with a well-developed wing along the outer edge and 

 at the apex which aids in wind distribution. 



In branch and leaf arrangement Larix closely resembles Cedrus 

 and Pseudolarix. From the former the species are easily dis- 

 tinguished by their deciduous leaves and from the latter by their 

 less elongated short shoots and by the smaller cones with per- 

 sistent scales. 



Wood coarse-grained, strong, hard, heavy, and durable, with 

 well marked heart- and sap-wood, the former usually reddish 

 or brown, occasionally yellowish-brown, sapwood narrow and 

 yellow. Early and late wood well defined, thus forming a very 

 distinct line between each year's growth. Resin ducts fairly 

 numerous, but small and scattered, most prominent in the late 

 wood and visible with a lens. Medullary rays narrow. The 

 timber is durable in contact with the ground and is much used 

 for telegraph and telephone poles, posts and rails, colliery props, 

 street paving, railway sleepers, building material, and for the con- 

 struction of ships and barges. Careful seasoning is necessary to 

 prevent undue shrinkage and warping. 



The bark is rich in tannin and is sometimes utilized for 

 tanning purposes. Turpentine is sometimes obtained from the 

 wood. 



Larches may be grown in Britain from sea-level to the timber 

 line where the soil is well drained. They are, however, essentially 

 alpine trees which, in a natural state, have a comparatively short, 

 sunny growing season followed by a long resting period accom- 

 panied by severe cold. When growing at low elevations in some 

 parts of Britain they are stimulated into premature growth by 

 mild winter weather and the soft young shoots areUable to injury 

 by late frosts. This is specially the case with trees growing on 

 low-lying, wet ground. 



They succeed on a great variety of soils, even where the 

 surface soil is shallow, provided the subsoil is porous. A hard, 

 impervious pan beneath the surface soil is, however, fatal to their 

 well-being. Land that is permanently wet is unsuitable for most 



