14 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



The larch was cultivated in this country as 

 early as 1629, as it is mentioned by Parkinson, 

 in " The Corollary to his Orchard;" but so late 

 as 1656, when the second edition was pub- 

 lished, it was but little known; and as the tree 

 is now more generally distributed over the 

 country since his account of it, we shall give 

 his own words, which were dictated for, and 

 dedicated to the Queen of the unfortunate 

 Charles the First, to whom Parkinson was 

 herbalist. This author says, " The larch 

 tree, where it naturally groweth, riseth up to 

 be as tall as the pine or firre tree ; but in our 

 land being rare, and nursed up but with a few, 

 and those only lovers of rarities, it groweth 

 both slowly and becommeth not high, the 

 bark hereof is very rugged and thick, the 

 boughs and branches grow one above another 

 in a very comely order, having divers small 

 yellowish knobs or bunches set thereon, at 

 several distances ; from whence do yearly 

 shoot forth many small, long, and narrow 

 smooth leaves together, both shorter and 

 smaller, and not so sharp-pointed as either 

 the pine or flrre-tree leaves, which do not 

 abide the winter as they do, but fall away every 

 year, as other trees which shed their leaves 

 and gain fresh every spring : the blossoms 

 are very beautiful and delectable, being of an 



