140 FORESTS, WOODS, AND TEEES 



succumbs to heart-rot. It suffers much from exposure to 

 wind, and cannot therefore be planted at such high eleva- 

 tions as spruce. On Kerry Hill in Wales, and in Coombe 

 Plantation, Keswick, spruce yields a fair amount of timber 

 up to 1500 feet, while larch is useless above 1250 feet 

 elevation. Larch should never be planted in wet grovmd, 

 and when very wet spots occur in a plantation, larch should 

 be replaced by Sitka spruce. 



Larch develops superficial roots and thrives on shallow 

 soils provided they contain a good deal of moisture. It 

 grows well, as a rule, on the slopes of hills, where the soil is 

 porous and well -drained. While its use in afforestation 

 is somewhat limited, yet there are generally extensive areas 

 where its cultivation may be attempted with success. In 

 the hill pasture zone it is adapted for planting in valleys, 

 in ravines, and on sheltered hillsides ; and it may be 

 carried up into the heather moor, when the situation is not 

 too exposed or too elevated. On sandy heaths, where Scots 

 pine is at home, larch may be introduced wherever there 

 is sufficient moisture ; but it is not so suitable for pure 

 sand as the pine. 



Planted in mixture with other trees as a nurse, it can be 

 early removed in the shape of thinnings, since even slender 

 poles contain heartwood ; but this practice must be carried 

 out with discretion, as there are mixtures in common use 

 which are very unsuitable. 



Larch should never be planted pure, as this invites the 

 attack of disease. Being a light-demanding tree, the soil is 

 not improved by its sparse leaf-fall and feeble shade. To 

 avert disease, vigour of growth must be fostered by improve- 

 ment of the soil, which is brought about by mixing the 

 larch with some shade -bearing tree. Beech is the best 

 species for this purpose in most situations, though chestnut 

 may be tried in mild climates on sandy soil, and hornbeam 

 in cold localities on clay. Proper treatment is also necessary 

 to keep off disease ; and larch plantations must be thinned 

 early, heavily, and often. This is necessary to remove sup- 

 pressed and enfeebled trees suffering from lack of light, as 



