THE PINE SUB-FAMILY. 253 



We are not aware that this tree has been introduced 

 into this country, and therefore cannot judge of its char- 

 acter, but presume it will never be popular here, as the 

 common European Larch is so perfect in shape that it 

 would be impossible to supersede it by one much inferior in 

 habit of growth, even though it had the questionable merit 

 of being new and rare. 



5. L. Ledebourii, Ruprecht. ALTAIAN LARCH. Syn. 

 L. intermedia, Lawson / L. Sibirica, Ledebour. " Leaves, 

 single, or in bundles of many together round a central 

 bud, but mostly single on the leading shoots and young 

 plants, soft, linear, broad, and rather flat on vigorous 

 young plants, but on older ones rather four-sided, obtuse, 

 and with much longer and broader foliage than the com- 

 mon Larch, and darker green. Branches, robust, but not 

 numerous, and pendent. Cones, very small, erect, slender, 

 and rather loose. Scales, oval, with the margins entire, 

 convex, and persistent. Seeds, very small." Gordon. 



The authority whose description we have quoted states 

 that it is " a tall, luxuriant tree, similar to the common Larch 

 in appearance, but with very much smaller cones, and 

 much longer and broader foliage, growing 80 feet high, 

 at elevations of from 2,500 to 5,000 feet on the Altai moun- 

 tains in Siberia." 



Loudon thus records Lawson's description. It " seems 



naturally possessed of a very strong, luxuriant habit of 



growth, with pendulous branches and very large leaves ; 



but,like many more Siberian or northern Continental plants, 



it produces its leaves on the first approach of spring, and 



is therefore very liable to be injured by the cold, change- 



ble weather to which this country in the earlier part of 



he season is so liable." 



It was introduced into cultivation in England about the 

 year 1816. 



6. Lt OCCidentalis, Nuttatt. WESTERN LARCH. Leaves, 

 shorter and thicker than the European Larch, quite rigid, 



