VOL,. XXXVII. No. ‘23.1 
WHOLE No. 1480. 1 
NEAY YORK CITY, JUNE 8, 1878. 
(PRICE SIX CENTS. 
1 *'2.50 PER YEAR. 
[Entered according to Act of CongresB, in the year 1878, by the Rural Publishing Company, in the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.] 
^rfarixultutal, 
OUR TREE PORTRAITS. 
LARCHES. 
The Larch, unlike moat other coniferous 
trees, is not an evergreen. There are but few 
specieB, and these are all natives of mountainous 
regions in the northern parts of the Old and 
New worlds. The American Larch, known also 
by the names, Black Larch, Hackmatack and 
Tamarack, grows in primitive forests sometimes 
to the bight of from 80 to 100 feet, though 
generally it is considerably smaller. In the 
more northerly latitudes it is found in uplands, 
but within the limits of the United States it is 
almost invariably to be met with in moist or 
swampy soils. In cultivation it grows well on 
nearly any soil, but thrives best on deep moist 
ground. The wood is close-grained, heavy and 
remarkably strong. It is very durable in con¬ 
tact with the earth, and valuable for ship-build¬ 
ing, rafters, aud all kinds of timbers UBed in 
building. 
The European Larch differs from the American 
species mainly in its pendnlona branches and 
the shape and color of its cones, which are 
about half as large. Throughout Central Eu¬ 
rope it is largely cultivated, both as an ornamen¬ 
tal and timber tree ; and it has the well-earned 
reputation of combining rapidity of growth, 
symmetry of form, durability of wood, and 
adaptability to a variety of uses in a greater de¬ 
gree than any other timber tree of northern 
latitudes. Of late years it has been pretty ex¬ 
tensively introduced into the United Stated; and 
in many places is giving satisfactory returns. 
There are many trees whoso peculiarities of 
growth are better shown in winter thau dur¬ 
ing that period when the branches are clothed in 
foliage. The specimen of Laroh presented 
below is certainly one. It stands in the private 
grounds of Mr. S B. Parsons of Flushing, L. I., 
and was drawn by our artist during January 
last.—[To be continued. 
WEEPING LARCH. — FROM LIFE. 
L 
