234 OUR FORESTS AND WOODLANDS 
for replacing the European species, which has 
so often proved itself very profitable despite the 
constant insidious attacks of this fell disease. 
Like the birch, the most light-demanding of 
broad-leaved trees as the larch is among conifers, 
it is one of the hardiest and most rapid growers 
among our woodland trees, hence it can well be 
utilised, wherever necessary, as a nurse for less 
hardy species in frost-holes. But then it should 
be cut out when it has served its purpose, al- 
though there will often be the temptation to 
let it stand just a year or two more to grow a 
bit larger before being cut out, and that little 
advantage may be dearly bought by interference 
with the growth of what is meant to be the 
permanent crop. A tree here and there, how- 
ever, should always add something to the value 
of the crop, so long as this retention of larch 
is not done on too large a scale. 
