2382 ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM. PART III. 



immediately under the line formed by the circumference of the branches of 

 the centre tree. As the larches advance in growth upwards, the branches of 

 the elm or other tree will extend horizontally, and force the former to take 

 a bent position outwards. To us, it appears that this is too servile an imita- 

 tion of nature, and that a more effective mode would be, to bend down the 

 trees as recommended by Mr. Matthew, or to cut them over, and treat them 

 in such a manner as to encourage a lateral branch to become the leader, as 

 shown in the portrait of the Great Larch at Dal wick (fig. 2261. p. 2356.) 

 Another method, which has been recommended by South and Matthew, where 

 it is wished to grow crooked timber, is, to undermine the trees, so as to throw 

 them over to one side, when they have attained a certain height, say from 

 10 ft. to 20ft. or 30ft. ; and leave them in that position to recover the per- 

 pendicularity of their leading shoots, by their annual growths. 



Probing the Roots of the common Larch, and laying bare those fitted for Knees 

 for Ship-building. Mr. Matthew finds, from experience, that the roots of larch 

 form the best of all knees ; and that they might be much improved by culture, 

 though the practice does not seem to have been attempted or thought of. 

 The following are his very ingenious, original, and rational directions, for at- 

 taining this object ; and we would strongly recommend them to the attention 

 of all possessors of larch plantations, where the timber is likely to become fit 

 for ship-building : " To form the roots of the larch properly into knees, should 

 the plants be pretty large, the planter ought to select those plants which have 

 four main roots springing out nearly at right angles, the regularity of which 

 he may improve a little by pruning ; and he should plant them out as stan- 

 dards in the thinnest driest soil suited for larch, carefully spreading the roots 

 to equal distances, and in a horizontal position. To promote the regular 

 square diverging of these four roots, he should dig narrow gutters, about 1 ft. 

 deep and 3 ft. long, out from the point of each root, and fill them in with the 

 richest of the neighbouring turf, along with a little manure. When the plants 

 are small, and the roots only a tuft of fibres, he should dig two narrow gutters 

 about 8 ft. long, crossing each other at the middle at right angles, fill these 

 as above, and put in the plant at the crossing : the rich mould of the rotted 

 turf, and its softness from being chopped, will cause the plant to throw out 

 its roots in the form of a cross along the trenches. When the plants have 

 reached 5ft. or 6ft. in height, the earth may be removed a little from the 

 root; and, if more than one stout root leader have run out into any of the 

 four trenches, or if any have entered the unstirred earth, they ought all to be 

 cut except one, the stoutest and most regular in each trench. In a few 

 years afterwards, when the plants have acquired some strength, the earth 

 should be removed gradually, baring the roots to from 2 ft. to 5 ft. distance 

 from the stool, or as tar as the main spurs have kept straight ; and cutting off 

 any side shoots within the distance, should it be found that such late root- 

 pruning docs not induce rot. This process of baring the roots will scarcely 

 injure the growth of the trees, as the roots draw the necessary pabulum from 

 a considerable distance ; nor, if done carefully, will it endanger their up- 

 setting ; and the roots, from exposure to the air, and freedom from the pressure 

 of the soil, will swell to an extraordinary size, so as to render them, ere long, 

 the firmest-rooted trees in the wood. The labour of this not amounting to 

 the value of sixpence each tree, will be counterbalanced thrice over by the 

 ease of grubbing the roots for knees ; and the whole brought to the shipwright 

 will produce more than double the price that the straight tree alone would 

 have done." On this passage, Mr. Gorrie observes, that " cutting the roots 

 of a growing larch is dangerous, and will inevitably produce rot." Mr. 

 Matthew continues : 



" The forester should also examine and probe the roots of his growing larch,even 

 those of considerable size, in sound ground ; and, when several strong horizontal 

 spurs, not exceeding four, are discovered nearly straight, and from 2ft. to 5ft. 

 long, he ought to bare the roots to that distance, that they may swell, carefully 

 pruning away any small side roots, and reserve these plants as valuable store, 



