LARCH. 27 



The Tunguses use it to dye the hair of the 

 rein-deer ; and the women, in some parts of 

 Siberia, wash themselves, and even their linen 

 with it, as it is found to be of a saponaceous 

 quality. 



It is now calculated that the Highlands of 

 Scotland will in the next age be able to furnish 

 the whole commerce of the island with tim- 

 ber for its shipping ; and it is still to be re- 

 gretted that so much barren land should be 

 suffered to remain unplanted with this and 

 other timber as we find in the counties of 

 Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire ; all of which 

 being connected with some dock-yard, ought 

 not to lie useless to the community when the 

 soil could be so advantageously employed. 



Plantations that are formed exclusively of 

 larch destroy the heath and all other vegeta- 

 tion ; but, after a few years, a fine grass springs 

 up, that is so valuable for grazing, that it has 

 been let from ten shillings to five pounds per 

 acre for this purpose, which, previous to its 

 being planted, would not bring as many pence. 

 Sir John Hay, Bart., and the Duke of Atholl, 

 have had extraordinary instances of this ad- 

 vantage ; but it is observed, that when Scotch 

 firs, or other trees, are mixed in the plant- 

 ations, this benefit is not derived. 



