508 
No tree is more valuable, or better deserves our attention in planting than the Larch. It is a 
native of the South of Europe and of Siberia. It appears from Parkinson's Paradisus that it was 
cultivated here in 1629;* and Evetyn says, a tree of good stature, not long since to be seen about 
Chelmsford in Essex, sufficiently reproaches our not cultivating so useful a material for many pur¬ 
poses, where lasting and substantial timber is required. We read of beams of no less than one 
hundred and twenty feet in length, made out of this goodly tree. There is abundance of this Larch 
timber in the buildings at Venice, especially about the palaces in Piazza San Marco, where Sca- 
mozzi says he used much of it, and infinitely commends it. Nor did they only use it in houses, but 
in naval architecture also. It seems to excel for beams, doors, windows, and masts of ships: it 
resists the worm; being driven into the ground it is almost petrified, and will support an incredible 
weight: it bears polishing excellently well, and the turners abroad much desire it; the Larch makes 
everlasting spouts, pent-houses and featheredge, which needs neither pitch or painting to preserve 
them: excellent pales, posts, rails, props for vines, &c. to these add the palettes, on which painters 
separate and blend their colours; and were the tables on which the great Raphael and most famous 
artists eternalized their skill 
In Switzerland, where these trees abound, and they have a scarcity of other wood, they build 
most of their houses with it; and great part of their furniture is also made of the wood, some of 
which is white, and some red, but the latter is most esteemed. The redness of the wood is by 
some supposed to be from the age of the trees, and not from any difference between them, but is 
rather owing to the quantity of turpentine contained in them. They frequently cut out the boards 
into shingles of a foot square, with which they cover their houses, instead of tiles or other covering: 
these are at first very white, but after they have been two or three years exposed, become as black 
as charcoal, and all the joints are stopped by the resin, which the sun draws out from the pores of 
the wood, which is hardened bv the air, and becomes a smooth shining varnish, which renders the 
houses so covered impenetrable to either wind or rain; but as this is very combustible, the magis¬ 
trates have made an order of police, that the houses so covered should be built at a distance from 
each other to prevent fire, which has often done great damage in villages. 
In most countries where this wood is in plenty, it. is preferred to all the kinds of Eir for every 
'purpose; and in many places there are ships built of this wood, which they say are durable; there¬ 
fore this may be a very proper tree for planting upon some of the cold barren hills in many parts 
of England, which at present produce nothing to their proprietors, and in one age may be large 
estates to their posterity, and a national advantage; which might be effected without a great 
expense, where the business is properly conducted. 
Line of battle ships are built with Larch at Archangel, which generally last fifteen years. At 
Venice it is also sometimes employed in ship-building, especially in the lighter parts of the upper 
works, but not where massy pieces of timber are required, on account of its weight. It resists the 
intemperature of the air more than any wood known in that country, and therefore is much used 
for outer gates, pales, &c. In some of the old palaces at Venice there are beams of Larch as when 
first placed. In a word, wherever strength and durability are required, this is reckoned there the 
most choice wood they have 4 
Larch wood, says Dr. Anderson, is possessed of so many valuable qualities, that to enumerate 
the whole would appear extravagant hyperbole. It is known to resist water without rotting almost 
for ever. The piles of this timber on which the houses of Venice were built many hundred years 
* Hort. Kew. 
V Silva, p. 153 
X Transact. Soc. Arts, Vol.VI. for 1788. * 
