LXXVII. CONI/FERE: LA'RIX. 1055 
come out so early in spring, that they are liable to be injured by 
frost. The female catkins do not expand their flowers till some 
time after those of the European larch appear. The cones are iike 
those of the American larch. 
2 ¥ Le. 8 dahirica. L. dahtrica Laws, Man. p. 389. — Said to be a 
stunted, bushy,. and irregular-growing tree. Dahuria. Introduced 
in 1827. Generally propagated by cuttings or layers. 
¥ L. 9 intermedia, L. intermédia Laws. M. p.389.; Pinus intermédia 
Dodd. Cat. ed. 1836; the Altaian Larch.— A very strong luxuriant 
habit of growth, with pendulous branches, and very large leaves. 
Introduced in 1816, or before. Lod. 
Other Varieties. L. Fraseri Comp. Bot. Mag. vol. ii. p. 304. was disco- 
vered and introduced by J. Fraser and his son, between 1785 and 1817; 
but it is apparently lost. 
The wood of the larch is compact, and of a reddish or brown tinge; and, on 
favourable soils, is said to be fit for every useful purpose in 40 years’ growth ; 
while that of the pinaster requires 60 years, and the Scotch pine 80 years. The 
greatest drawback to the wood of the larch is its liability to warp. The rate 
of growth of the larch, in the climate of London, is from 20 ft. to 25 ft. in 10 
1972. 1. eurepe'a, 
years from the seed; and nearly as great on the declivities of hills and 
mountains in the Highlands of Scotland. In the course of 50 years, the tree 
will attain the height of 80 ft. or upwards; and, in its native habitats, ac- 
cording to Willdenow, it lives from 150 to 200 years. The wood, according 
to Hartig, weighs 68 lb. 13.0z. per cubic foot when green, and 36 lb. 6 oz. 
when dry ; and, according to Kasthoffer, it lasts four times longer than that of 
any other species of Abiétinz. Though the wood of the larch ignites with 
difficulty, and a fire made of it will, if not attended to, extinguish itself before 
the wood is half-consumed, yet, if properly managed, the wood of old trees is 
capable of producing an intense heat. The charcoal is more rich in carbon than 
that of the spruce or the silver fir, but less so than that of pine or beech. 
It is very heavy, and weighs 163 1b. per cubic foot ; it is said to be excellent 
for iron founderies. The bark of young larches is astringent, and it is used in 
the Alps for tanning leather; where the leaves and young shoots are some- 
times given to cattle. The resinous products of the larch are, Venice turpen- 
tine, and the manna de Briangon; and both are used in the state in which 
they are procured from the tree. To obtain the turpentine, trees are chosen 
