240 
LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
which it seems to have caught from the wild and rugged 
chasms, rocks, and precipices of its native mountains. 
There its irregular and spiry top and branches, harmonize 
admirably with the abrupt variation of the surrounding 
hills, and suit well with the gloomy grandeur of those 
frowning heights. 
Like all highly expressive and characteristic trees, much 
more care is necessary in introducing the Larch into 
artificial scenery judiciously, than round-headed trees. If 
planted in abundance, it becomes monotonous, from the 
similitude of its form in different specimens ; it should 
therefore be introduced sparingly, and always for some 
special purpose. This purpose may be either to give spirit 
to a group of other trees, to strengthen the already pic- 
turesque character of a scene, or to give life and variet}^ 
to one naturally tame and uninteresting. All these objects 
can be fully effected by the Larch ; and although it is by 
far the most suited to harmonize with and strengthen the 
expression of scenery naturally grand, or picturesque, with 
which it most readily enters into combination ; yet, in the 
hands of taste, there can be no reason why so marked a 
tree should not be employed in giving additional expression 
to scenery of a tamer character. 
The extremely rapid growth of this tree when planted 
upon thin, barren, and dry soils, is another great merit 
which it possesses as an ornamental tree ; and it is also a 
necessary one to enable it to thrive well on those very 
rocky and barren soils, where it is most in character with 
the surrounding objects. It is highly valuable to produce 
effect or shelter suddenly, on portions of an estate, too thin 
or meagre in their soil to afford the sustenance necessary 
to the growth of many other deciduous trees. 
