The Larches. 345 



expect them at once. These considerations should in no way dis- 

 courage from plantation, as the young wood, in dry situations, still 

 has great value, and it may be found suited for some of the pro- 

 - of injection that would give it durability in exposed places. 



1394. The larch in France, prospers most on northern or eastern 

 slopes. At greater elevations it was found on southerly and west- 

 erly aspects, but not of so goud growth. 



1395. The larch at high elevations is more solid than on low lands, 

 although the amount of ashes in the latter is greater. It requires 

 more than double the amount of alkali and of phosphoric acid than 

 the pine, and three times as much as the beech. 



1396. In planting the European larch, only such trees should be 

 set out as have been once transplanted. Their growth the first 

 year or two is very slow, and in exposed situations they are liable 

 to suffer from the winds. As the leaves appear early, it must be. 

 planted as soon as the ground can be prepared, and great care, 

 should be taken to protect the roots from the air. They may be. 

 dipped to advantage in a mud composed of a rich mellow s-:iil and 

 water of about the thickness of white-wash. The tops should re- 

 main dry, and the roots damp, till they are finally set. 



1397. Where the larch is cultivated in masses, and kept of one 

 age, it is not injurious to pasture with cattle after a certain time. 

 A woodland of this timber will in some regions pasture one cow to. 

 a hectare (about 2i acres) through the summer. In a genial soil 

 and climate the larch is aggressive, and tends continually to spread 

 over the neighboring fields, especially on the side opposite to that 

 of the prevailing winds. From this tendency to seeding, it is 

 easy to re-stock a forest, by leaving here and there a sufficient num- 

 ber of seed-trees, and by raking the surface here and there so that 

 the seeds can find fresh soil to sprout in. 



1398. It is sometimes tried in Europe to get a resinous product 

 from the larch, but it leads to a very thin profit, at a great loss. 

 The bark is in some countries used for tanning leather. 



