206 SYLVAN SKETCHES 



fire for an hour, mix it with rye-meal, bury the dough 

 in the snow, and in twelve hours they have a ferment 

 ready for use *. 



There is also a gum and a manna obtained from the 

 Larch. The manna is found in the south of France, and 

 is there called Manna de Brian 9on : it is white, concrete 

 and sweet, like fine new honey. It is rare, and met with 

 only in little drops that adhere to the leaves, so that it 

 would be difficult to collect a pound of it. This manna 

 has been found in Russia also. 



The gum is afforded only under certain circumstances ; 

 when the woods are on fire, which frequently happens in 

 Russia, the Larches are sometimes burned next the side 

 whence the fire came, to the height of several feet. If 

 the wood happens to be scorched to the pith, the inner 

 part exudes a dry reddish gum, which is called Orenburgh 

 gum. It is used in medicine by the Russians, and the 

 native mountaineers masticate it to fasten their teeth, as 

 the ladies in the East use mastick. They also fasten 

 their bows, &c. with it. 



The Larch is not much indebted to our poets for 

 reputation, although its beauty is such as to have recom- 

 mended to the frequent attention of Mrs. RadclifFe, who 

 not only introduces it very frequently in her beautiful 

 and romantic landscapes, but repeatedly refers to its use 

 in wainscoting, &c. both the White and the Black 

 Larch. In the Mysteries of Udolpho, speaking of the 

 Count de Villefort, she says, " He was himself going to 

 strike upon the door, when he observed its singular 

 beauty, and withheld the blow. It appeared on the first 

 glance to be of ebony, so dark and close was its grain, 



* See Pallas's Flora Rossica. 



