Larix 369 



In the Scottish Arh. Soc. Trans., viii. 233, J. Hutton states that at Keppoch, 

 in Inverness-shire, there were in 1878, 124 larch trees, said to have been brought 

 home as two-year seedlings by Ranald Macdonald of Keppoch in 1753. They grew 

 on an area of about eight acres, and had an average height of about 90 feet, and 

 were then estimated to contain altogether 18,848 cubic feet of timber. The two 

 largest, close to the banks of the Roy, were 108 feet by 12 feet 2 inches, contents 

 355 feet, and 86 feet by 14 feet 7 inches, contents 358 feet ; and he mentions that 

 upwards of forty similar trees were blown down in i860, so that the timber on this 

 area would have exceeded 3000 feet per acre. This property now belongs to the 

 Mackintosh of Mackintosh, whose forester, Mr. A. Rose, tells me that at the present 

 time there are only seventy -seven trees left, of which twenty- five are small ones 

 which have suffered from various causes ; the remaining fifty-two are fine trees with 

 an average content of 120 feet, making, together with the smaller ones, only 7192 

 cubic feet in all. The largest now standing, which is about twenty-five yards from 

 the banks of the Spean, is 74 feet by 18 feet 6 inches at 3 feet from the ground, and 

 contains 395 cubic feet. The tallest is 108 feet by 11 feet 2 inches. The two largest 

 in 1878 have both been since cut on account of decay, but the rings counted on the 

 stump were 123 and 131 only, which does not agree with their reputed history. 



There are very tall and large larches at Brahan Castle and elsewhere in East 

 Ross, one of which was reported by Mr. Pitcaithley^ as being 115 feet by 11 feet. 

 Mr. Munro-Ferguson tells me that a very large larch was recently felled on his 

 property at Novar ; and his factor, Mr. Meiklejohn, sends me the following measure- 

 ments :— at 5 feet from the ground 12 feet 8 inches, at 25 feet 10 feet, at 40 feet 

 9 feet 4 inches. The cubic contents of the trunk were 400 feet, and the branches 

 probably contained 50 more. 



The highest elevation which I found recorded for the larch in Scotland is in the 

 Ballochbuie forest, where three larches of great size were reported, in i860, to be in 

 a sound condition at 1 17 years old and mo feet above the sea. 



Michie ^ gives a long account of some fine larches growing in the Paradise at 

 Monymusk, in Aberdeenshire, with details of their measurements ; the largest in 

 1 88 1 was 100 feet by 10 feet 5 inches at 20 feet from the ground, and was supposed 

 to contain 416 cubic feet. 



A remarkable instance of the manner in which the roots of the larch may 

 continue to grow after the tree has been cut is described and figured in Gardeners' 

 Chronicle^ from a specimen submitted by the late Mr. Webster, head gardener 

 at Gordon Castle. The figure shows the felled stump, rotten in the centre, 

 and with the new wood surging over the edges of the wound, and also two 

 roots of the foster tree, inosculating by means of various branches with those 

 of the stump. 



The larch has been extensively planted in Ireland, and has given, when grown 

 on ordinary soils, excellent results, as it has usually remained free from disease. As 

 an instance of good growth, Mr. Mitchell, land-agent at Doneraile and an experienced 

 forester, told Henry that many trees cut in 1891 in a plantation on the Kilworth 



1 Trans. Scot. Arb. Soc. xi. 505. - The Larch (1SS5). 3 Qp. cit. 31st Aug. 1S72, p. I161. 



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