508 



CONIFERS. 



" Soft sand soil and subsoil.'" In this description of ground 

 the rot is very prevalent, and attacks the trees at an 

 earlier age than in the cold clays or tills. 3d. " Soils 

 incumbent on brittle dry trap, or broken slaty sandstone. 1 ' 

 In both of these the Larch is generally found decayed at 

 the heart, though those consisting of decomposed trap are 

 often favourable to vegetation and congenial to the growth 

 of various deciduous trees. 4th. " Ground having a sub- 

 soil of dry, rotten rock, and which sounds hollow to the 

 foot in time of drought. 11 The 5th " is rich deaf earth or 

 vegetable mould, 11 in which the Larch, independently of its 

 receiving contamination from the putrid gases, or exhala- 

 tions of the soil, does not seem even while remaining sound 

 to make so much comparative progress in it as some of 

 the hard-wooded trees. 6th. and last, " Black or grey 

 moorish soil with admixture of peat-moss. 11 After this 

 enumeration, Mr. Matthew adds, that, " although the soils 

 specified in this class will not afford fine Larch for naval 

 use, yet they may be profitably employed in growing 

 Larch for farming purposes, or for coal mines, where a 

 slight taint of rot is of minor importance. And further, 

 that Larches in which rot has commenced, are fully as 

 suitable for paling as the sound, " they have fewer circles 

 of sapwood, and more of red or matured. 11 



The cultivation of the Larch in Britain may be con- 

 sidered as undertaken for two distinct objects. 1st. 

 Where it is planted in large masses by itself with a view 

 of producing timber of a large size, fit for naval and other 

 important purposes ; and, secondly, where it is mixed with 

 other trees, either to remain and attain its full size, should 

 the soil be such as to bring it to perfection, or to be thin- 

 ned out as these advance to maturity : its rapid growth 

 and the useful purposes to which its wood, when young, 



