SECTION XIV. 



491 



silvestris, it affords an inferior timber on a damp and unsuitable soil. — 

 See Mem. Caledon. Horticul. Soc, v. ii. p. 367. 



Note XVIII. Page 861. 



The Wild Cherry, or Guigne, is classed, in the Linnaean system, in 

 the order Icosandria Monyginia^ and in the Plum family. It is thus 

 described by the great naturalist — Prunus Cerasus, umhellis siibsessilibus 

 foliis^ ovato-lanceolatis, conduplicatis glabris. — Spec. Plant. 679. 



Note XIX. Page 862. 



The Larch is thus described by Botanists — Pinus Larix^ foUis, fas- 

 ciculatis ohtusis. — Lin. Spec. Plant. 1420. It is of considerable impor- 

 tance to the planter to distinguish between the different kinds of this 

 tree, so as that they may be applied to the different soils and climates 

 in which they are calculated to succeed. The most useful are the fol- 

 lowing : — 



1st. — The White or Common Larch, (^Larix pyramidalis.^ — This was 

 first introduced into Scotland by that distinguished and ingenious 

 philanthropist. Lord Kames, about the year 1734, after it had been 

 known something more than a century in England. I heard himself 

 mention the circumstance many years ago ; but I have forgotten from 

 what quarter he said he had procured the plants. Soon after, the 

 Duke of Athole (grandfather to the present Duke) in 1741 had a few 

 planted on the lawn at Dunkeld, which by 1796 had grown to eighty-five 

 feet high, and ten feet in circumference at three feet from the ground ; 

 so that, at present, they must be more than a hundred feet high, and 

 nearly sixteen feet in girth. I regret that I did not measure them when 

 I had an opportunity, in 1823. 



As the story goes, they were sent down in pots as a present to the 

 Duke, from England, being, as it is said, the produce of Alpine seed ; 

 and the gardener, conceiving them to be exotics of a very delicate 

 description, carefully deposited them in the green-house. In that arti- 

 ficial soil and climate the hardy natives of the Alps had nearly died ; 

 when, the Duke being absent from home, they were thrown out as 

 hopeless rarities, and stuck into the ground not far from the house. 

 On this soil, which seems to be a light gravelly loam, they soon 

 recovered, to the surprise of the gardener, and shot forth in a style that 

 astonished every one who beheld them. What the original number 

 was I know not ; but I remarked three in particular, which were 

 noble trees indeed, when I visited the place. 



