DECIDUOUS ORNAMENTAL TREES. 211 



its form in different specimens ; it should therefore be intro- 

 duced sparingly, and always for some special purpose. 

 This purpose may be, either to give spirit to a group of other 

 trees, to strengthen the already picturesque character of a 

 scene, or to give life and variety to one naturally tame and 

 uninteresting. All these objects can be fully effected by the 

 Larch ; and although it is by far the most suited to harmo- 

 nize with, and strengthen the expression of scenery naturally 

 grand, or picturesque, with which it most readily enters into 

 combination, yet in the hands of taste, there can be no rea- 

 son why so marked a tree should not be employed in giving 

 additional expression to scenery not absolutely devoid of cha- 

 racter. 



The extremely rapid growth of this tree when planted 

 upon thin, barren, and dry soils, is another great merit which 

 it possesses as an ornamental tree ; and it is also a necessary 

 one to enable it to thrive well on those very rocky and bar- 

 ren soils, where it is most in character with the surrounding 

 objects. It is highly valuable to produce effect or shelter 

 suddenly, on portions of an estate, too thin or meagre in their 

 soil, to afford the sustenance necessary to the growth of many 

 other deciduous trees. 



The Larch is the great timber tree of Europe. Its wood 

 is remarkably heavy, strong, and durable, exceeding in all 

 those qualities the best English oak. To these, it adds the 

 peculiarity of being almost uninflammable, and resisting the 

 influence of heat for a long time. Vitruvius relates, that 

 when Caesar attacked the castle of Larignum, near the Alps, 

 whose gate was commanded by a tower built of this wood, 

 from the top of whieh the besieged annoyed him with their 

 stones and darts, he commanded his army to surround it 

 with faggots, and set fire to the whole. When however all 



