THE LARCH 



ducing the larch into the forests bordering 

 the English lakes was under consideration, 

 and this greatly disturbed the poet Words- 

 worth, who was keenly alive to the distressing 

 effects of inharmonious and inappropriate tree 

 planting. In " A Description of the Scenery of 

 the Lakes," he points out the fact that it is 

 impossible for trees which terminate in a spike, 

 like that of the larch, to blend together and 

 form masses of wood ; that if thousands to 

 tens of thousands are added, the appearance is 

 still the same, a collection of separate individ- 

 ual trees, obstinately presenting themselves as 

 such, and which, from whatever point they are 

 looked at, if but seen may be counted upon 

 the fingers. He goes on to express his dislike 

 of the larch in the following words " As a tree 

 it is less than any other pleasing ; its branches 

 (for boughs it has none) have no variety in the 

 youth of this tree, and little dignity even when 

 it attains its full growth ; leaves it cannot be 

 said to have, consequently it affords neither 

 shade nor shelter. In spring the larch be- 

 comes green long before the native trees, and 

 its green is so peculiar and vivid that, finding 

 nothing to harmonize with it, wherever it comes 

 forth a disagreeable speck is produced. In sum- 

 mer, when all other trees are in their pride, it is 



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