78 TRANSACTIONS OF ROVAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



(on what he called first-class pine soil). Both Kume and 

 Shirasawa agree that Larix leptolepis often grows in pure stands, 

 as on Mt. Fuji, where Shirasawa had seen areas, from which 

 the spruce had been swept away by an avalanche, being covered 

 at once by pure growth of the larch. It also occurs in mixture 

 with the trees mentioned above as constituting the upper zone of 

 the forest in the volcanic region of Central Japan. 



A handbook, entitled Forestry of Japan, which was published 

 in English by the Department of Agriculture at Tokyo in 1910, 

 states that the natural forests of this larch are chiefly found on 

 the slopes of Mt. Fuji and Mt. Asama, and in the Azumi county 

 of Shinano province, a little also growing spontaneously on Mt. 

 Nikko. The tree is said to " grow on the dry soil of volcanic 

 strata, making a healthy growth in the sunshine." It is very 

 probable, however, that the deep volcanic soil on which it thrives 

 — covered with snow in winter and exposed to a humid atmosphere 

 in summer, owing to the altitude — is in reality full of moisture. 

 The annual rainfall at 3300 feet on Fuji is 100 to 120 inches, 

 the precipitation being heavy in summer, while clear weather 

 prevails in winter. The handbook states that as the larch 

 succeeds on poor and desolate soil, the districts in which it is 

 planted have been greatly extended in recent times. In the 

 State forests, 12,410 cho of land were planted in 1898-1907 with 

 Larix leptolepis, 43,610,449 seedlings being used, while the 

 rotation adopted is 60 to 80 years. The seed is collected in the 

 Saku district of Shinano province, and in the southern part of 

 Hondo, and in various parts of Shikohu and Kyushu ; the output 

 in 1907 was 2200 koku, valued at over 41,100 yen. The 

 planting of this species is now largely practised by private owners 

 of land in Japan. 



In Hayata's interesting and well-illustrated book on The 

 Vegetation of Mt. Fuji, published in English at Tokyo in 191 1, 

 it is stated that the conifer belt on this mountain extends from 

 4000 to 8300 feet altitude. On the north side, at Yakihome, 

 the larch predominates to such an extent that it ranges from 

 5000 to 7300 feet, appearing like an island in the evergreen 

 coniferous belt. On the east side, at Subaskiri, the larch attains 

 its most luxuriant growth and extends through all the tree regions. 

 It is most abundant at 6000 feet, diminishing in quantity at lower 

 altitudes, none occurring below 3000 feet as a rule. In this zone 

 of 3000 to 7000 feet the larch is a fine tree, growing both in pure 



