1 70 Capt. S. E. Cook on the Genus Pinus and Abies. 



from its occupying a district so distinct from any other, place 

 it regularly in the European series. It is, however, beyond 

 doubt of the upper or better class, and most probably hereafter 

 its true place will be found amongst the zones of the Caucasus 

 and Northern Asia. 



The austriactty which appears to be nearly allied to it, as 

 they probably bear about the same relation to each other that 

 the hispanica does to the Laricio, has been recently introduced 

 by Mr. Lawson of Edinburgh. Not having seen or examined 

 the forests which supply it, I cannot yet assign it a specific 

 place ; but it is no doubt entitled to a very high rank in the 

 upper series, and promises to be a most valuable addition to 

 our arboretum. 



We now proceed to the Lariat or common larch, which is 

 spread from the Southern Alps to Siberia, but I believe never 

 grows naturally at a low level, excepting far to the north. The 

 most southern site I know it to inhabit is in the high Apen- 

 nines, near their junction with the Alps in Piedmont. In this 

 part were, and I suppose still are, as I was informed by the 

 Piedmontese engineers, vast and almost inaccessible forests of 

 trees of the largest dimensions. It is common in the highest 

 Piedmontese Alps around Mont Rosa and Mont Blanc, and in 

 ascending the Great St. Bernard is seen far above every other 

 tree. I have little doubt, however, that it once was overtopped 

 by the Cembra, which in the adjoining valley of Chamouny 

 holds the highest zone. It thus claims the high place its 

 hardiness and value of the timber so fully bear us out in as- 

 signing to it, on the theoretic examination of the zones it na- 

 turally inhabits. 



In Scotland it appears to thrive at a higher level than the 

 sylvestris by the report of the Duke of Athol ; but although a 

 most valuable and important fact, it may be from local causes, 

 and these observations are confined to the natural position of 

 the tree in its original forests. We shall be anxious for future 

 information w hether the larch of Siberia and of the centre of 

 Europe be identical, of which we have some doubts ; and it 

 would be veiy desirable to ascertain the fact precisely, M'hich 

 could easily be done by correspondence with the Russian Go- 

 vernment and the authorities of Odessa. 



The Abies now claim our attention. We do not adopt the 



