CONIFERS OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION. 3 



Canadian Provinces, from which it extends westward to southern 

 Alaska. The other two species inhabit northwestern United States 

 extending northward also into Canada. A fourth species, not now 

 fully known, is possibly confined to Alaska. 3 



The larches are of ancient origin, several European species having 

 existed since the Miocene period. The European larch (Larix 

 europsea) appears in the upper Pliocene of Europe and is represented 

 throughout the Pleistocene, while our eastern larch (Larix laricina) 

 is common in this country during the Pleistocene period. 4 



TAMARACK. 



Larix laricina (DuEoi) Koch. 



COMMON NAME AND EARLY HISTORY. 



Larix laricina is most commonly known throughout its range as 

 tamarack, particularly among woodsmen. Sometimes it is also 

 called larch, black larch, red larch, and hackmatack. 



Tamarack was one of the first of our conifers to become known, 

 the earliest report of it being as a tree cultivated in England in 1735. 5 

 The early French Jesuit missionary and historian Charlevoix saw 

 the tamarack in eastern Canada and gave the first complete pub- 

 lished account of it in 1744 6 ( u Larix canadensis, longissimo folio"). 

 However, the earliest mention of this species is doubtless by John 

 Josselyn, 7 who describes the great lasting qualities of a " Larch tree" 

 observed in New England in 1667, which can be none other than our 

 tamarack. The first technical description and (polynomial) desig- 

 nation 8 of tamarack was published in 1770, while the first technical 

 binomial designation, Pinus laricina DuRoi 9 was published in 1771. 

 The technical name Larix laricina (DuRoi) Koch, now properly 

 maintained for this tree, was established in 1873. 10 



s See Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, vol. 50, p. 174, PI. XVII, 1907; Forest Trees of the Pacific 

 Slope, p. 74, fig. 28A, 1908 (U. S. Dept. Agr.). 



* The author is indebted for this information to Dr. Edward W. Berry, paleontologist of John Hopkins 

 University. 



5 Aiton, Hortus Kewensis, III, 369, 1789. 



8 Histoire de la Nouvelle France (ed. 12 mo.) IV, 371, fig. 22, 1744. 



7 An Account of Two Voyages to New England, 68, 1673. 



8 "Pinus Larix Americana nigra", Muenchhausen, Hausv., V, 226, 1770. 

 s Obs. Bot., 49, 1771. 



10 William Aiton (Hort. Kew. Ill, 369, 1789) says that this larch was cultivated in England in 1735. 



According to Loudon (Arb. et. Frut., IV, 2401, 1838), a form of this larch ("Larix a. pendula") was in- 

 troduced into England by Peter Collinson in 1739, while another form (" Larix a. rubra ") was introduced 

 by the Duke of Argyle in 1760, the latter tree having attained a height of 40 or 50 feet in 77 years. Elwes 

 and Henry (The Trees of Great Britain and Ireland, II, 394, 1907) say that modern English arboriculturists 

 have entirely neglected this tree. Only a few trees are now known in England, the largest being from 50 

 to 78 feet high and from 18 to 20 inches in diameter. 



Larix laricina is little used as an ornamental tree in the United States, probably because it is believed 

 the tree can not be grown outside of its natural habitat in wet , mucky ground. It is , however, well adapted 

 to rich, sandy or gravelly upland soils that are fairly moist and deep. Under sueh conditions it grows 

 rapidly and to a large size and has a beautiful symmetrical form. 



