102 



BllITlS^H FOREST TREES. 



built boats, surpassing all others in strength, light- 

 ness, and durability. For this purpose, young trees 

 of about 9 inches diameter, in root-cuts from 1 0 to 

 20 feet in length, with a gentle bend at one end, 

 such as the larch often receives from the south-west 

 wind, are the most suitable. The log should be kept 

 in the bark till used, and in dry weather the boards 

 put upon the boat's side within two or three days 

 from being sawn out, as no timber we are acquainted 

 with parts sooner with its moisture than larch ; and 

 the boards do not work or bend pleasantly when dry. 

 When dried, the thin larch board is at once strong, 

 tough, durable, and extremely light. The tough 

 strength, almost equalling leather, is owing to the 

 woven or netted structure of the fibre of the wood, 

 entirely different from the pine, whose reedy struc- 

 ture runs parallel with very slight connecting or di- 

 verging fibres. It is very difficult to split larch even 

 by wedges. 



For rural purposes generally, larch is incompara- 

 bly the best adapted timber, especially for rail or 

 fence, or out-door fabric exposed to wind and wea- 

 ther. It is also getting into use for implements of 

 husbandry, such as harrows, ploughs, and carts. We 

 have seen a larch upright paling, the timber of 

 which, with the exception of the large charred posts. 



