144 FOEESTS, WOODS, AND TREES 



a height of 160 feet and a girth of 15 feet, and yielding 

 timber of magnificent quality. Introduced by seed for 

 the first time in 1903 by Elwes, followed up by larger 

 supplies in 1908 (consequent on the visit of the writer to 

 Montana in 1906), this larch is now being extensively 

 tried both in this country and on the Continent, A few 

 older trees, introduced as living plants in 1881 and 1889, 

 have thriven well in the poor sandy soil of the pinetum at 

 Kew ; and during dry years are conspicuous amongst other 

 species by their freedom from Chermes and their extremely 

 healthy dark-green foliage. This tree would seem, then, to 

 be best suited for a dry and continental climate. A small 

 plantation of western larch in the Queen's Cottage grounds 

 at Kew is healthy ; but the trees, until 1917, were slow in 

 growth, showing less vigour than European larch. In 1018 

 they made vigorous leading shoots of 2 to 3 feet in length, 

 in all probability due to the grass having been entirely 

 killed by brambles in the preceding year. Possibly they 

 will ultimately overtake European larch in height-growth 

 in the sandy soil and comparatively dry climate of Kew. 



Hemlock Spruce. — The Western Hemlock Spruce {Tsuga 

 Albertiana) is one of the great trees in the Pacific Coast 

 forests of North America, ranking in vigour of growth after 

 Douglas fir and Sitka spruce. It is a successful ornamental 

 tree in this country, attaining in favourable conditions about 

 80 feet in height in 40 to 50 years; but it has seldom 

 been used in plantations. It has given good results at 

 Novar when used in underplanting larch. 



As a forest tree it bears great shade and develops 

 a straight cylindrical stem, on which the dead branches 

 persist in the same way as they do on silver fir or spruce ; 

 and it must be grown in close order if clean stems are 

 desired. The wood is of about the same value as spruce. 

 It reproduces itself naturally in all parts of this country ; 

 and can be cheaply raised from home-grown seed. Seedlings 

 in the nursery require to be shaded from the sun's rays and 

 protected against frost; transplanted at the end of the 



