286 



A DISCOURSE 



BOOK I. though more natural by its winged seeds. But the masculine Picea will 

 endure no amputation, nor is comparable to the Silver Fir for beauty, or 

 so fit to adorn walks and avenues. Though the other also be a very stately 

 plant, yet it has this infirmity, that though it remains always green, it 

 sheds the old leaves more visibly, and not seldom breaks down its pon- 

 derous branches : Besides, the timber is nothing so white ; though yet 



to wind or rain. It maivcs a cheap covering, and, as some say, an incombustible one ; but 

 that is rather doubtful. I'Vom this tree is extracted wliat we erroneously call Venice Turperi' 

 tme. This substance, or natural balsam, flows at first without incision ; when it has done 

 dropping, the poor people, who wait on the Fir-woods, make incisions, at about two or three 

 feet from the ground, into the trunk of the trees, and into tiiese they fix narrow troughs, 

 about twenty inches long. The end of these trouglis is hollow like a ladle ; and in the 

 middle is a small hole bored, for the turpentine to run into a receiver, which is placed below 

 it. As the balsam runs from the trees, it passes along the doping gutter, or trough, to the 

 ladle, and from thence runs through the hole into the receiver. The people -who gather it 

 visit the trees morning and evening, from the end of May to September, to collect the tur- 

 pentine out of the receivers. When it flows out of the tree, the turpentine is clear, and of a 

 yellowish white ; but, as it grows older, it thicken>, and becomes of a citron colour. It is pro- 

 cui'ed in greatest abundance in the neighbourhood of Lyons, and in the valley of St. Martin^ 

 near Lucern, in Switzerland. This tree, at an early age, makes durable posts and rails. 



The scales of the Larch cones are so closely glewed together, that it is with the greatest 

 difficulty we can separate them without bruising the seeds, which renders them unfit for 

 vegetation. It is on this account that little good seed can be procured from the wholesale 

 dealers. Mr. Speechly, gardener to his Grace the Duke of Portland, has communicated 

 to me the following method of raising Seedling Larches, which at once obviates all the 

 difficulties complained of, and secures to the planter a certain crop at a moderate 

 expense. 



" Let the cones be collected in the month of November, or beginning of December, and 

 " when gathered, lay them in heaps about six inches thick, in a shady, but exposed situa- 

 " tion, taking care that the heaps be not too large, which would occasion mouldiness. In 

 " this manner let them be exposed to the weather till the beginning of May, which is the 

 « most proper season for laying them upon the beds, as there is not power in the sun before 

 " that time to cause the cones to expand sufficiently. Then let beds of four feet in breadth 

 " be prepared on ground newly dug ; a rich, light, and sandy soil is the most proper. The 

 " mould should be raked from the middle to the sides of the beds, so as to form a kind 

 " of ridge on each side, to prevent the cones, or their seed, from falling into the alleys, 

 « which should be two feet in breadth for the convenience of the weeders. The beds 

 « being thus finished, the cones should be so disposed, that every part of the surface shall 

 « be covered ; and if a few cones are dispersed upon the others, the seeds will be shed 

 " with greater certainty. If the weather comes warm and dry, the cones will soon 

 " expand, so that it will be proper to examine the beds frequently, to see when a sufficient 

 " quantity of seed is shed. The cones may then be removed to a second bed, prepared 

 " in the same manner as the former ; but before they are taken off it will be proper to give 



