Causes of Disease in the Larch. 571 



brother measured near the Emu river, he describes as follows : 

 they are all measured at 4ft. from the ground: — No. 1., 

 45 ft. in circumference; supposed height 180 ft. The top 

 broken, as is the case with most large-trunked trees ; the 

 trunk a little injured by decay, but not hollow. This tree had 

 an excrescence at the base 12 ft. across and 6 ft. high, protrud- 

 ing about 3 ft. No. 2., 37^ ft. in circumference. No. 3., 38 ft. 

 in circumference ; distant from No. 2. 80 yards. No. 4., 38 ft. 

 in circumference ; distant from No. 3. 50 yards. Nos. 3. and 4. 

 were fine sound trees, upwards of 200 ft. high. No. 5., 28 ft. 

 in circumference. No. 6., 30 ft. in circumference. No. 7., 32 ft. 

 in circumference. No. 8., 55 ft. in circumference ; very little 

 injured by decay ; and upwards of 200 ft. high. No. 9., 40^ ft. in 

 circumference ; sound and tall. No. 10., 48 ft, in circumference ; 

 tubercled ; tall ; some cavities at the base ; much of the top gone. 

 A prostrate tree near to No. 1. was 35 ft. in circumference at the 

 base, 22 ft. at 66 ft. up, 19 ft. at 110 ft. up ; there were two large 

 branches at 120 ft. ; the general head branched off at 150 ft. ; the 

 elevation of the tree, traceable by the branches on the ground, 

 was 213 ft. — York^ May 13. 1835. 



Art. VIII. Additional Considerations on the Causes of Disease in the 

 Larch Tree in Britain. By Mr. James Munro. 



In my first communication (IX. 551.) on the diseases of the 

 larch tree, I have thrown out a few hints as to the probable 

 causes of them ; and have particularly pointed out that which I 

 conceive to be a capital error in planters ; namely, their planting 

 out one-year transplanted, or one or two years' seedling, plants : 

 and I now farther remark that such trees, being unprovided 

 with a most essential requisite, viz. a root sufficiently furnished 

 with fibry collectors of nutritious matter, are consequently desti- 

 tute of the capability of perfecting the annually accumulated 

 accretion of wood. I have already noticed the possibility of a 

 too extensive deposit of alburnous matter, for the first ten or , 

 fifteen years, as having some connexion with the decay of the 

 heart-wood ; and I think I am borne out in this statement by 

 Mr. Knight, who, in his letter to G. I. T., in the Qiiarterly 

 Journal of Agricidture for Sept. 1833, p. 549., when speaking of 

 the manner in which the true sap, or blood, of the plant is dis- 

 posed of, states that " this fluid descends by the bark ; by 

 which, or rather by its glandular lining, the matter of alburnum 

 is deposited ; and that which is not thus expended sinks into the 

 alburnum, and there, in part, joins the alburnous current. I say 

 in part, because a part is expended in giving additional solidity to 



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