Causes of Disease in the Larch. 573 



to the action of the atmosphere, the groups might be allowed to 

 be somewhat thicker of trees than when, as in uninterrupted 

 plantations, they are thinned out to regular distances of from 

 8 ft. to 12 ft. 



Another of the errors committed by planters of the larch is, 

 it is my decided opinion, that of slitting in the plants, instead 

 of pitting them. Slitting them, I am convinced, is attended 

 with fatal consequences. In pitting, the plant, being inserted 

 into a space of loosened soil, the roots naturally extend them- 

 selves horizontally ; as in that direction there is no obstruction, 

 such as the hard bottom of the pit offers. On the contrary, 

 when a plant is inserted in the earth by the 'slit, and properly 

 fixed by treading the ground, it is so firmly compressed on each 

 side of the root, that the fibres are forced downward, and must 

 find less obstruction in taking a perpendicular than a horizontal 

 direction. Thus the taproot, or its substitutes, penetrate into 

 a cold and unproductive subsoil : unproductive, I should observe, 

 only in its being more remotely situated from the influence of 

 the maturing agents. With the larch plant so situated, it need 

 not be at all surprising that it should fail in perfecting its new 

 wood; for, so long as the roots find an unlimited supply of 

 moisture (which must at all times be the case while they have 

 this direction), and greater in degree in proportion as they are 

 more remote from the surface, so long will that plant be kept in 

 a growing state ; until finally checked by the approach of win- 

 ter, when a partial derangement in the system of the al burnous 

 current must take place. 



Shortly after I had despatched my previous communication, I, 

 by mere accident, came into possession, through the kindness of 

 a proprietor in this neighbourhood, of documents strongly cor- 

 roborative of the points I have there advanced on the causes 

 of disease in the larch. It will be remembered that some of 

 my hints regarding the ^mode of treating larch trees, by the 

 first planters of them in this- country, were purely suppositive. 

 These hints, however, as will be shown, turn out to be facts : 

 and I here crave permission to refer the reader to an account of 

 the larch plantations of Athol and Dunkeld, published in the 

 Qiiarterli) Journal of Agriculture for March, 1832; wherein it is 

 stated (p. 171.) that "the greatest obstacle to the progress of 

 the Duke of Athol's planting was the scarcity, and consequent 

 dearness, of the larch plants ; which at that time were selling 

 in the nursery grounds as high as Qd. a plant, three and four 

 years transplanted." Again, in p. 173., we are informed that, 

 about this period (1774), larch fell in price from 6d. each to 35^. 

 per thousand, two and three years transplanted, and ranging 

 from 2 ft. to 2^ ft. high. Even so late as 1791, His Grace seems 

 to have continued planting out larches of a large size ; for, in 



T T 3 



