T 



Chapter XV 

 THE LARCH 



Family Pinaceae 



HE larch is the only native Northern 

 genus of the pine family which loses 

 its leaves in winter; all the other 

 native genera are evergreens. There is one 

 indigenous species, and one from Europe which 

 is cultivated even more commonly than the 

 American tree. 



American A large tree, 50 to 100 feet high. 



Larch ; Tama- The bark is rough with small, flat 



rack or Hack- , ^ 7 , , ,. ,, , 



matack scales. 1 he stems are pliable, ana 



Larix amerkana are covered with knobby buds. The 

 cones are small, not more than half an inch long. 

 In Massachusetts the larch does not attain 

 a great height, but in cold Northern swamps it 

 grows to be a large tree. It is not dependent 

 on a wet situation, but grows well after being 

 transplanted into upland soil. Its growth is 

 rapid, and it is often chosen for " quick ef- 

 fects " in landscape gardening, a choice which 

 is to be regretted for the most part, as few 

 trees have so little beauty as the larch. 



187 ' 



