•380 NOTKS ON LtPilTISH I'OKEST TREES. 



The damage done by snow and rime is of moderate extent, 

 and the tree is very storm firm. In Britain it is not so storm 

 firm, especially if the soil should be saturated with water at 

 the time of a gale ; it also suffers somewhat more from late 

 frosts, because it sprouts much earlier. 



Roebuck and deer do a great deal of damage lo larch by 

 injuring the bark, which is also peeled by rabbits. Squirrels 

 peel the top shoots. Hence the tree should be protected 

 against these animals by fencing and shooting. 



Larch is much exposed to attacks by insects and fungi, 

 and these dangers are much greater in countries where it has 

 been artificially introduced. The larch is especially attacked 

 by minute moths, as Coleopliora laricclla, which hollows out 

 the needles, and Aniyreathia hev'ujatcUa, and several Tort rices. 

 The " larch-bug," Cliermes larUis, is very injurious. Numerous 

 bark-beetles live in the larch in common with other conifers. 



Fungi. — PJu/fophthora omnicora kills the young seedlings. 

 Peziza {Dnsyscypha) Willhommii eats away the bark and cam- 

 bium, causing canker ; this disease has now become so prevalent 

 in many parts of Britain that the further production of the tree 

 has become altogether problematic. AgaricuH i}idlcu>i kills the 

 roots ; Trametes pini destroys the wood, leaving white spots ; 

 Polyporus salphiireus produces red rot. 



Pruniufj. — The larch stands [)runing well, but the operation 

 affords an entrance for fungi, especially Peziza Willkommii ; 

 hence it should be done very sparingly. It is much better to 

 grow the larch so that the lower branches die oft' and fall 

 naturally. 



Tliiiniinf/s must begin earl}-. They should be light until 

 the time has come for miderplanting, when they must be 

 heavy, leaving only healthy, vigorous, well formed trees 

 as the overwood which are to develop into large timber trees. 



Of late the Japanese larch, Ltirix le))f<>Ie})is, has been much 

 reconniiended. Up to dale lliei-e is no proof whatever that it 

 will do better than tlie European lan-li. On the contrary, 

 there are indications that the latter catches u}) and pass(!S the 



