168 SYLVICULTURAL NOTES ON 



Great Britain in 1845. It is a far hardier tree than the 

 common Silver fir, and it does not get injured by frost. It 

 will therefore probably prove useful as a substitute for the 

 common species. When once established it grows rapidly. 

 It is accommodating as to soil, and resembles the spruce in 

 this respect, doing fairly well on all soils which are neither 

 very wet nor very dry. In other respects it resembles the 



Silver fir. It may be used for underplanting larch or pines. 



* 

 THE LARCHES. 



Common larch (Larix europaea). 



A native of the hilly parts of Central Europe, especially of 

 the Alps, it was introduced into England in 1 629 and into the 

 Lowlands of Scotland in 1725. It does best in a situation 

 resembling as far as possible that of its natural home ; that 

 is, on high elevations and on cool north and east aspects. It 

 is found in the Highlands up to an elevation of 2,000 feet, 

 though it hardly pays to plant it at this height. Larch suffers 

 from drought, but is fairly hardy against frost, though its 

 foliage gets cut back by late frosts in low-lying damp situa- 

 tions, as it sprouts early in spring. It is storm-firm and 

 a quick grower. It is a great light-demander and must not 

 be grown where it gets in the least shaded by other trees. 



A deep, porous, and fresh soil suits the larch best, and it 

 does well on stony, well-drained soils along ravines. It will 

 not thrive to a large size on land which is not well drained, 

 but it will produce small timber on clayey soils. It does well 

 on limy soils, but on gravels it is very liable to red-rot. Dry 

 sands are also unsuitable. 



Larch should not be grown in large pure woods as it gets 

 much diseased, and after the thicket stage is passed the soil 

 deteriorates under it. It should be grown as standards-over- 

 coppice, or in small groups here and there in woods of other 

 species, especially where there is plenty of beech or chestnut. 

 It is essential to give it plenty of space, and thinnings in pure 



