fte kreh is a coniferse, though the leaves are deciduous, in autUi&h. It ii 

 a tall; slender grower, with heavy, coarse-grained, durable and valuable wood, 

 wherever light straight timber, such as hop-poles, is required. The trees 

 should be cut in the winter, and the barls stripped off in the spring. Unless 

 this be done the poles will soon decay from retaining moisture under the 

 bark. It is also a valuable wood for fuel, but burns rapidly, and with great 

 heat, being much used for puddling iron, and in other places where a hot 

 flame is required. It grows naturally on lowj wet, even swampy grounds^ in 

 all tbe northern states and Canadas ; yet it flourishes far better wheii brought 

 out'and planted in dryish soil. When the American larch is planted on such 

 land and tended the same as the Europealn op Scotch l.lrch, it groffs much 

 Inore rapidly than in its native swamps. Those who desire to malce planta^ 

 tions of the larch, should take into consideration ths character of the land 

 to be planted ; if it be wet then the American larch shoiild be choseh ; if it 

 be dry then the European larch should be planted. Tor timber trees the Eu^ 

 topean is much preferable, as it grows as large as the pines. 



The value of latcK plantations is manifest from the fSct that it has been for 

 many years past profitably planted as a forcit tree in Europe. Tens of 

 thousands of acres of larch have been planted in Great Britain, for thfe tim^ 

 ber which it yields ; and because such plantations have proved the most val' 

 uable investments which can be made. The same is true of France, Germany 

 and some other European countries. In most cases lands have been used foi? 

 this purpose, such as exists in great abtindauce in Wisconsin, in the sandy 

 {■egions, thitt are of little or no value as farming lands ; and which become 

 all the more valuable from the leaves and small spray which would be annu^ 

 ally cast on the ground, to enrich or rather form a soil out of these sands. 



Of late great eiSoitement has sprung up among our farmers in the cultiva- 

 tion of thei hop in Wisconsin. Save tliose cultivators once thought where 

 they shall obtain tlie 1,'?00 poles required to eact acre of hops ? Tamaracis 

 and white cedar poles are now worth from 10 to 20 cents each ; and when 

 those now in use are decayed, as they will be In a few years, we have no 

 large source of supply. 



ibe larch (nay be planted as we have recommended for planting the hick- 

 ory for hoop-poles, with a surety ef as great a yiedd of poles ; but with this 

 difference, that the larch seldom sends up a shoot from the Stump, but it re- 

 quires a new plantation Whenever the trees are felled. Everytree which can 

 be! grown will be wanted, in this state, before it can be reared to sufficient 

 size for use. The large trees can be sawed into good boards, plank and other 

 sawed tiiflbers, or be hewfid into large buildiilg timbers, for which purposes 

 it is eminently adapted. The larch makes excellent piles for docks, or for 

 the foundation of buildings in wet grounds. That it will last for ages we 

 have abundant proof. Larch piles have been taken up where it is positive!}* 

 known that they have been driven more than a: thousand years, and yet they 

 Were sound and uninjured. So too, larch logs have been dug frompeat bog* 



