SUBSTITUTES FOR LARCH. 
433 
Of the value of the Albert Fir, Tsuga Mertcnsiana, the 
speaker had had no personal opportunity of judging. Scottish 
foresters, however, speak of it favourably. 
The Conifers before mentioned have all been in cultivation 
long enough to afford good grounds for forming an opinion as 
to their value. 
There are many others which have not been under observa- 
tion for so long a time, but which are highly promising. Foremost 
in this category the speaker placed Lobb's Cypress, Tliuya gigantea. 
This is perfectly hardy, grows with great rapidity, seeds in this 
country in profusion, so that seedlings can be cheaply obtained, 
and produces very durable timber. Its long, straight ''sticks" 
are well adapted for use as telegraph-poles. Indeed, considering 
its hardiness and relative indifference to soil and aspect, this tree 
may be looked on as one of the most promising for the future. 
Lawson's Cypress, Gupressus Lawsoniana, is generally known 
as a small pyramidal bush grown exclusively for ornamental 
purposes. Nevertheless our American friends give it an excellent 
character as a tree producing hardy, easily worked timber abound- 
ing in resin. It has been known to them for many years as the 
Port Orford Cedar. The bushy habit might be alleged as 
unsuitable for the production of timber, but this could be obviated 
by close planting, and is indeed lost as the tree growls older. 
In the spring of 1895 the young growths of this cypress in the 
vicinity of London suffered from the abnormal frost of February 
as they had never before been observed to do. It was remark- 
able also that some of the many seedling varieties suffered much 
more than others, e.g. the fastigiate form known as Erecta viridis 
was more injured than the spreading forms. 
The Nootka Sound Cypress, C%ipress2is nootkatcnsis alias 
Thuiopsis borealis, is another very hardy species which no frost 
such as we are likely to get hurts. It is easily procurable, is 
not particular as to soil, and furnishes excellent timber, so that 
it may confidently be recommended to be planted as a timber 
tree. 
Lihocedrus tetragona, which grows in the most cheerless 
parts of Chile, might be employed with advantage in damp, 
ungenial situations if it could be procured in sufficient quantities. 
Its timber is said to be almost indestructible. The New Zealand 
species, L. Doniana, would probably succeed in Western Ireland. 
