494 



NOTES AND ILLUSTEATIONS. 



occasions jjroceed, that, in the case of gates, after the ordinary season- 

 ing given to Scotch Mr had been bestowed on the wood, I have been 

 obliged, after some time, to have the article taken to pieces and worked 

 up again. 



Note XXII. Page 865. 



It is impossible to view those superb trees belonging to the Duke of 

 Athole, without being impressed with the belief, either that the Larches 

 now planted are altogether of a different species, or that the tree has 

 wonderfully degenerated since its introduction into Scotland. It may 

 be very true, as Gilpin states, that the Larch is on a much more mag- 

 nificent scale in its native climate than in this island. But it is not 

 necessary to have crossed the Simplon to discover that it is by no 

 means the superior size of the Alpine trees, (taking those at Dunkeld as 

 the standard,) but the utter discrepancy between them and ours in point 

 of character and appearance, that so forcibly strikes us. Since these 

 noble trees were planted, is now eighty-five years. But, if we compare 

 them with Larches planted in other parts of the kingdom, only twenty 

 or five-and-twenty years later, (which last should still be great timber,) 

 and from British seed, shall we discern, in the latter, any of the same 

 striking and picturesque properties ? I cannot account for our being 

 obliged to reply in the negative. But I earnestly recommend it to 

 those who feel interested in the character of the British Larch, and 

 especially to our nurserymen, to have frequent recourse to the Alps for 

 their seed. 



It would be worth while that some careful person should examine 

 such plantations at Dunkeld, executed half a century since, as can 

 be ascertained to have been raised from the seed of the great trees in 

 question. But there is no trusting to gardeners or ordinary travellers. 



So much for the different appearance of the Larch, since it was first 

 known to us. As to its comparative utility, I believe we shall find 

 that all our inquiries lead to the same practical result, that the timber 

 which we raise in Britain has fully as much degenerated as the beauty 

 of the tree. It may be remarked, that the wonders anciently related 

 of the Larch are nothing greater or more incredible than the wonders 

 related in modern times ; and, as we can for the most part verify the 

 latter by facts, we have the less reason to doubt the former. 



The qualities in which British Larch-wood seems chiefly deficient, 

 are density and resinousness, when compared with that of the Alps. 

 Though British Larch is useful for many important purposes, I have 

 no idea, for example, that such a covering for houses could be made of 

 it as is constructed in Switzerland, which by the exudation of the 



