THE "hybrid larch." 



155 



of about an inch in favour of the "hybrid larch." A volume 

 analysis might also be prepared, but as yet it is not considered 

 advisable to do so. At the same time the height and diameter 

 increment indicate a good volume increment. 



Diameter at 4 ft. 3 i?is. above Ground. 



As will be seen from Plate XV. this group is of very 

 robust growth. It is exceptionally healthy, comparatively free 

 from chermes attack, and absolutely free from canker. It 

 is true fructifications of Dasyscypha have been found on the 

 stems, but, probably owing to the rapid growth of the trees 

 affected, no cankers were formed. At the same time absolute 

 immunity from disease is not claimed for this plant, since 

 elsewhere several plants have already been destroyed through 

 this cause. On the whole, however, so far as I have seen, the 

 "hybrid" is much less attacked by chermes, or by fungoid 

 disease, than any European or Japanese larches growing 

 alongside it. It also shows straighter stems, and less tendency 

 to branch at the crowns than does the Japanese larch. As 

 regards frost it seems to be as hardy as the European species. 



It will be well not to be over-sanguine in our hopes of the 

 "hybrid larch." It may, like its known parent, the Japanese 

 larch, grow well only in certain localities — that is, it may be a 

 " locality tree." If so we must be prepared to hear of many 

 shattered expectations regarding its growth. 



Further, it is impossible to say how long the present recorded 

 rate of growth will be kept up. Extremely rapid growth in early 

 youth is not always a good quality in forest trees, since it 

 frequently leads to an early maturity and culmination of growth. 

 Of this there are many examples, one of which, referring to the 

 growth of Larix leptolepis in the Japanese castanetum, is cited in 



