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DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 



branchlets pendent, regular, forming a graceful pyramidal head. Leaves 

 thread-like, slender, and soft to the touch, in fascicles of 10 to 20. Cones 

 ovoid when young, when open subglobular and purplish, about an inch long, 

 and nearly the same in diameter ; scales thin ; margins turned in. Seeds 

 small, with short wings. 



2. L. Europaea, DC. (European Larch.) Trunk same as No. 1. Branchlets 

 more pendulous. Leaves an inch long, obtuse, and flat, bright-green. Cones 

 much larger than No. 1, long egg-shaped, l-li inches in length. Scales 

 orbicular, reflexed, bracts extending beyond the 

 scales. Seeds small, ovate, winged. Cotyledons 

 about 7. 



Of this species there are several varieties ; the 

 most interesting one is a dwarf, remarkable for 

 its pendent or weeping branches. 



Geography. — The American larch is found 

 native as far south as southern New York, and 

 north to the fiftieth parallel, in a belt quite 

 across the continent to the Pacific coast. The 

 European larch is found in the mountainous re- 

 gions of middle Europe. 



Etymology. — Larix, the generic name, and 

 laricina, the specific name of this tree, are de- 

 rived from the Celtic lar, fat, due to the resi- 

 nous wood. Tamarack and Hachnatac are Indian 

 names of obscure meaning. Eiiropa;a indicates 

 that this species is a native of Europe. The 

 common name, larch, seems to be merely a cor- 

 ruption of the word larix. 



History. — The larch was much used in Venice, 

 in the period of its prosperity, for frames and 

 other parts of buildings ; and it is said that 

 buildings framed of that material shoAV no signs of decay even at the present 

 day. The paintings of some of the great masters were executed upon larch 

 panels, and their excellent preservation is said to be due to the hardness and 

 perfect condition of the wood upon which the work was executed. 



Use. — The larch is a favorite in planted grounds; no collection of trees 

 would be considered complete without it. The wood is hard, heavy, strong 

 and durable ; it is used for fencing, for agricultural instruments, bridges, 

 and for heavy and strong carriages for transporting stone, hardware, coal, 

 lime, and other coarse and hard articles. It is prized for dock logs and frames 

 for canal gates. When the larch log is sawed into planks it is necessary to 

 season them in close piles to prevent warping. The bark is highly charged 

 with tannin, and is used in the manufacture of leather. The resin of this 

 tree yields Venice turpentine, which is used in medicine. 



Larix laricina (Larch). 



JTJNIPERTJS, L. (Juniper. Cedar.) Flowers dioecious, occasionally 

 monoecious, on separate branches ; aments usually axillary, sometimes 

 lateral, small, ovoid; stamens many, inserted on all sides of the axis. 

 Fertile aments imbricately bracted at the base. Involucre composed 

 of 3 to 6 scales, united at the base, a concave ovule at the base of ench 



