5 8 Practical Forestry 



years ; but, however much has been said in commendation 

 of it, there can be no doubt that to overstate its value as a 

 timber tree in the economy of British forestry would be a 

 task of some difficulty. When we combine its great, almost 

 peculiar, aptitude to suit itself to nearly all conditions of 

 soils, altitudes, and diversities of climate, its long-estab- 

 lished value as a timber tree, rapidity of growth and ease 

 of culture, it is clear that no other tree cultivated in this 

 country can be ranked on a par with the larch. Unfortu- 

 nately, however, of late years the larch has suffered much 

 from disease, the predisposing causes of which may mainly 

 be attributed to the variableness of our spring weather, and 

 the rapidly degenerating state of the tree the latter chiefly 

 brought about by an injudicious selection of seed. By far 

 too little attention has been paid to this important matter, 

 the result being that weakness and tenderness have got into 

 the constitution of the tree, and it is thus unable to with- 

 stand even a few degrees of frost. So weakened, blight, 

 fungus, and ulceration find a footing, and thus the fell dis- 

 ease is generated about which so much has been said and 

 written of late years. In my own opinion, strengthened 

 by careful investigation and research, induced tenderness 

 in the constitution of the larch is the primary cause of 

 disease, cold winds and frost being the destructive agents, 

 and ulceration the direct consequence. 



Injury to the roots of the larch in transplanting is 

 attended with most injurious results. In corroboration of 

 this, it may be stated that natural or self-sown trees are, 

 in this country, almost exempt from disease. 



The variableness of our spring weather is, no doubt, one 

 of the predisposing causes of disease, for although no degree 

 of cold experienced in this country can injure the tree when 

 leafless, yet few are more sensitive when in young foliage. 



The durability of the wood of the larch is well known, 

 and this peculiarity is even noticeable when of only a few 

 years' growth. As compared with Scotch and spruce firs, the 

 wood of the larch is about twice as durable a fence of the 

 latter cut at from twenty to thirty years' growth lasted 

 from seventeen to twenty years, while that of the spruce 



