of the Northern Forest 59 



cover that any of the shoots pointing to the south-west 

 had received the smallest injury.' 



In forest nurseries no tree is easier to get in quantity 

 and fit for planting, but in places infested by rabbits it 

 is often difficult to establish, little trees being bitten hard 

 and either destroyed outright or reduced to a leprous 

 state. Sometimes, when planting fields of Pine, I have 

 found, from the seeds of Ash being blown from the 

 neighbouring coppices, I have got more Ash than Pines. 

 If taken up in good time these seedlings come in well 

 for planting. In planting young trees those of one to 

 two years are best, and in pure woods rather close 

 planting is best, allowing for loss through ground game ; 

 4 feet apart is not too close. In this way the trees 

 draw well up and thinning is easy, while the thinnings 

 are useful at all ages ; close planting need therefore be 

 in no way against the trees having full room to grow 

 at maturity. 



The Larch. The best tree that ever came to us from 

 oversea, for its timber, and among the best trees for 

 beauty, is the Larch. In plantations, often ill-made and 

 quickly cut down, one seldom sees its best dignity ; but 

 if we cross the Alps and get into some natural Larch 

 forest, with the huge patriarchs barkless and prone 

 among the young trees, or see the trees in a picturesque 

 group beside some rapid Tyrolese river, or on the rocks 

 over a mountain torrent ; or as at Dunkeld, where some 

 of the first trees planted in our islands still stand ; then 

 we get some idea of its stately beauty. A native of the 

 cold and lovely mountains of central Europe, it is suited 

 for all parts of our islands, and for many kinds of soil. 

 The Larch is the great tree of the dry, cold regions of 

 the northern hemisphere, where it is found spreading 



