P E A C T IC E O F G A E D E N IN G .
to,' r é
p r é
' ’ i i
r é l! ! '
■'ré fi*#!
' ¡ r é ; ' ' i r é !
l> Í . „ p ; t i
larch is, that the timher is exceodinely valuablo at every
period of its growtii; so tliat a dead hedge of larch-boughs,
o r a liurdlo wattled with larch-spray, will last longer than
dead hedges or wattled hurdles of any other species of tree.
Planted in rows in exposed gardens it forms an useful hedge-
plant in point of shelter; but in this respect is deflcioiit as a
fence, and gets soon naked below. Mr. Gorrie has formed
«cellent live fences with the tir '
..ad stood nine yci _ .......................................
to 1 2 ft. long; they were planted along the top of a ditch,
In a slanting direction, at from 15 in. to 18 in. apart. (Sco
Gard Mag., vol. ix. p. 59.) Rods, stakes, pales, rails, posts,
and espeeially gate-posts, of this tree, aro therefore more
valuable than of anyother; the spruce iir .approaching the
nearest to it in these respects. Turpentine is extracted from
it in the Tyrol; but that, being always injurious to the timber,
ean never bo recommended for adoption in this country :
it is also peculiarly valuable as a nurslng-trcc.
6067. Use and value of tarchplantations. At Dunkeld it Is
found that plantations of larch actually increase tho dciitli of
the soil, and improve tho grasses on its surface. The lower
and stronger branches meet together in six or seven years after
planting, so ns to form a complete matting over tho gi
The air and light being excluded by them, all plants th
■ r them die. At the same timo, tho annual
leave 0 annual deposit of
’nthe
spray o
li'k of their boing ready
............. On the
of the new-made soil, wliercver it has been formed, even
among tho rocks, becomes immediately covered with natural
grasses, of which the //ólcus móllis and li. lanàtus seem to
predominate. These grasses continue to grow, and to thicken
Into a sward, by tho annual top-dressing which they reoeiv©
from a continued deposition of leaves.
6068, With regard to other trees effecting an improvement of
the soil, the following arc the results oi many experiments
subject. In oak copses, the value
■r 6s. per aero for eight years only
lu eveiy twejity-ioul years, when the copse is cut down again.
Under a Scotch flr plantation, the grass is not worth 6d. more
per acre than It was before it was planted. Under beech
spruce it is worth less tlian it was before ; but the spi
affords cxcelleiu shelter to cattle, either from the beat of s.....
mer or the cold of ndnter. Uinler a-ih the value may be 2s.
or 5.?. per acre more than it was in ita natural state. But
tinder larch, where the ground was not worth Is, per acre tlio
pasture is worth from 8s. to 10s. per acre, after the first thirty
ings have been completed, and the
tea, at the rate of about 400 to the
---------_OT................ly, so impressed was the duke of t'
of larch as an improver of natural pasturage, that
yellowish-brown; the leaves como out so e.arly that they a-
liable to be injured hj spring frosts. The /yirix pf>nduia,_i
black larch of North America, and i.àrix tlàùrica of Dr]
Fischer of St. Pctorsburgh, aro distinct species, no examples
of which exist at Dunkeld or Blair, (ifort. Trans., vol. iv.
p. 416.)
ti071. Soil and site. Tho larch will grow and attain a large
size in every soil and situation, except in standing water;
hut a certain elevation of surface, or coldness of climate and
infonority of soil, is absolutely necessary to produce the timher
in perfection. The quality of tlie timber of all trees is
more or loss affected by climate and soil ; but that of the ve-
sinous tribe particularlv so. We pointed out several Instances
111 1806. (Treatise on Cnunlry Residences, yo\.\i.) Sang mentions
a number as having occurred since \812 (Plant. Kal.,
p. 69.), and observes generally, that he has “ known it in
many places make tho most rapid progress for 30 or 35 years,
and, though there were no external signs of disorder, yet,
when it was felled, the wood had begun to rot in tlio hearts of
the trees ; so that there was scarcely a sound tree over a largo
extent of ground ; yet the oak, the chestnut, the elm, and the
ash, amongst which the larch had been used as a nurse, were
not onlyin the utmost vigour, bnt their wood was perfectly
sound, borne larclics in a slmiiar soil and situation had
attained 70 ft. each, and were quite hollow a good way un-
w.ards.” In Dumfriesshire, it is found that the larch, when
planted on a soil having a substratum of red sandstone, decays
fifteen to twenty-five at froin ............ years of age. (Gard. Mug.,
vol. IX. p. 554.)
6072. In speaking ofthe larch plantations al Dunkeld, the
“ is an error to suppose that the larch
id in all situations. Tliere are many
mglit not to be
years, when all the
a a lr
5000 acre.s of land in its naturn
wortli above Is. jier acre, at 26
chase, will gtve - - .
Plauts and planting, at 6s. per-acr
2400 roods of fencing, at 6s. per ai
Sundry expenses, at 7>d. per acre
£ 5287 10 0
compound interest, for twenty-nine
. ........ 2h the land is fit to bo begur '•••
depi :iir«l, gives 21,150/.; but 3000 acres at an fmmi[irovcd
rent only of 6s. per acre per annum, at twenty-five
purchase, yield 22,500/. (Highland Soc. Trans., vol. ix.
6069. The value of larch wood at Dunkeld, exclusive of the
value of the. pasture under il, may be estimated in this mann
e r;— Suppose the plantations are thinned out by thirty
yp^s to what theyare to stand for ship-tin.ber; that is, to
4TO trees per Scotch acre; suppose, after tliat period, the
whole wcra cut down at the following respective agos: the
value of tho whole per acre, at the different periods, would ho
as follows : —
400 trees at 30 years old, at 24 cubic feet £
each trec,= 10 0 0 cubic feet, o'r 20 loads,
at Is. 6d. per foot profit,= - . . 75 per acre
400 trees at 454 years old, a t 15 cubic feet
each tree,=6000 cubic feet, or 120 loaiis,
at Is. 6d. per foot profit,= . - , 450 __
400 trees at 59 years old, at 40 cubic feet
each tr^G, = 16,000 cubie feet, or 320
loads, at 2s. 6/ . per foot p
400
each
loads,
; 72 years old, at 60 cubic feet
eis.=24,000 cubic feet, or 480
t 2j. 6d. per foot profit,= - 3000 —
The average df these prices would bo 1381/. 5s. per acre ;
80 tliat lOOOi. per acre is not too liigh a calculation of the
value ofthe duke’s larch plantations. (Ibid.)
6070. Species and varieties of Che larch. That extensively
cultivated by the Duke of Athol is the common white larch,
Dàrix europæ'a Dec. ; but the following other species or varieties
were tried: —1. The Tyrol larch, with white flowers:
tlie common variety having ¡link flowers. 2. The Tyrol
larch, with white flowers and the cones also remarkable for
tlieir whiteness, and for being erect, not cerniKius. The
shoots of the Tyrol larch are generally stronger th.an those of
tlie common larch ; but the foliage of both kinds is similar.
0. The weeping Tyrol larch, a variety of the common, with
pendulous branches ; but distinct in botanic characters from
the Darlx jiCndula, or black larch of North America. 4. The
red larch of North America, o r i à r ix microcàrpa. This species
is remarkable for the great specific gravity of Its wood,
which U so ponderous that it will scarcely swim in wator.
Its cones are shorter or smaller than those of the common
larch, its branches weaker, and its leaves narrower. 5. The
Russian larch, raised from seed procured bv the duke from
Archangel, about the year 1800. The bark is cinereous, not
writer observes, .........
will thrive in all soils :
kinds of soils in which it will not tliriv
planted. It has been found that, in soils which have been
turned by the plough, and whicli have borne white crops, the
larch cankers. It cankers in wet situations also. In soils
resting on a wet tllly subsoil, It decays at the heart, after
arriving at foi'ty yeara of age. In situations where water
stands for a length of time about the roots, it becomes fogircd.
or covered with lichens. But in all rocky situations, and particularly
thoso which are composed of mica slate, containing
crystal of garnets, among the ilssures and fragments of which
tliey can push down their roots, larches thrive to ailinlraiion.
Ihe geognostic character of the country from Dunkeld to
Blair 19 primitive. At Blair it Is gneiss, at Dunkeld clay slate,
ami tlic intermediate space is occupied by mica slato: they lie
conformably on ono another.
6073. Situation. The advantages resiüting from planting
mountain ground appear at first sight, in the greater mnnbcr
oftrees that may be supported on the acclivity of a mouiUaiii
than on a surface equal to Its base. Trees derive nourisliment
from the soil ImmetUately around the place in which they are
fixed; and, as the superficies of that soil must, of course, be
greater on an acclivity than on the base, a greater numlier of
trees will be there supported. Practically »¡leaking, 100 trees,
al (I ft. apart, can be ¡ilanted on the liyiiothcimse of a right.'
angled triangle, whereas the ba.«e would only permit 80 at
the same distance. Another and a great advantage derived
from planting mountain ground is, that, on an acclivity, the
trees expose a greater surface to tho influence of the sun, and
mr, and ram, than they can do on a level surfaco. That trees
derive much nourishment fromthe air, through the instrumentality
of thcir leaves, there is no dotibt. The experiment
of taking the bark from fifty standing larches, in May, T8I4,
at Dunkeld, did not provent their vegetation, and even forming
wood for two years after. The outside trues in a forest are '
always the strongest. On an acclivity, they all ¡losscss the
advaiit^esof_outside trees; and. at the same time, most of
the shelter enjoyed by those in the interior. (Highland Soc.
Irans., vol. ix. p. 186 )
6074. Nurses were not
usc<! by tho late duke in his larch
plantations. The gardent
:r, in tlie duke’s absence, planted
some acres witli a mixture
of Scotch pine nnd larch; but so
far were the former from i....
lursing the latter, that at the end
of seventeen years they had 1.^ ■, » attained ,.^ ,............... aI ^........
3 ft.; whilo tlie larches which tliey were intended .h..e. .i.g .h.t.e xceenduirnsge
t
-e re from 15 ft. to 20 ft. high,
6075. The groivth of tke larch. Taking the average height
..' an average larch, of eight years from the seed, at 11 ft., it
will be nearly accurate to allow 16 in. as the annu.al growth
till the tree is fifty years old, and after tliat only 10 in. per
for twenty-two years longer ; as the length of the treo
lessens in g:-owth as the hulk of the wood increases. These
data give a larch tree of seventy-two years of age a height of
9o ft. 4 Ul.; a fair average, agreeing with actual experiment,
ihoois of larches beyond thirty-five years of age are
though they are not so long as those of younger trees.
The larch, like the oak.
one in s|ii ing, the o th c ._____
no lateral branches; the autum.....
spring one; but, nl tbe time this prc-
-ne is throwing out lateral branches.
6076. In regard to the growth of the girth, a larch
' ’ ’ forth two shoots every year, the
im. The spring slioot has
.1 shoot ¡mshes out like the
Jge, will ...........................
going on, the spring
age,acq uire 1 in. iu girth per a
twenty-.ffoouurr yyeeaarrss o ld; and from that time, ti
tho venerable age of
girth every year; thus: —
11 be 2 ft. in girth, at 1 in. per ai
5 ft. in girth, at l i in. per ai
In 72 years, it will be 7 ft.
6077. The larch begin
of age.
At 50 years old it I' ill
0 wood a t twenty-four y.
mta in 26 cubic feet of wood.
14 ditto more.
20 d itto more.
Tn all, 60 ditto, or one load of 50
cubic feet, nnd 10 fr. more,
6078. These results correspond exactly with the quantities
which the duke obtained at these respective ages. Larch
appears to be on its greatest increase for timber from fifty-
seven to seventy-two years old. A larch containing 50 cubic
feet, ov one load of timber, is quite lit for naval puriioscs. At
h a lf th a t size i t is su itab le for uitry purpose.
L
6079. Thinning larch plantations. The great object of the
duke, in planting the lai-ch, seems to have been to raise timher
tor naval purposes; and, finding that larches grow to a
great size at only 12 tt. apart, ho thinned accordingly. This
dUtancc gives 380 trees to the Scotch acre, or about one fifth
of tlie 2000 originally planted. “ Tho first thinning should
consist of a light one of about one fifth of the whole, by removing
only tliose trees that are of least value or worthless. After
twenty-four years from the time of ¡ilanting, the si>ray falls
off the lower branches, which aro, of course, no longer useful
to the soil below. From twenty to thirty years old, tlien, tho
thinning is carried on so extensively, os to remove two tliirdi
of that wluch was left standing by the flrst thinning: it is
cessary to observe that all the strongest and healthiest ti
should be left, even if two or three of them should be closer
together than 12 ft. These small clumps happening to ligli
ou a favourable situation, they will thrive well, as the air ha-
access to each tree, around two thirds of its circumferoiiee.
Ihis tliinnmg being delayed so long, the trees thinned out
lablo for a variety 0' ' ............
vol. ; lfu./nv H?o'u 's e, near tdinburghth, ei ns avmole. viio, lp. .p 4. 1382.9. : and at
6085. The Deodara c. Indiim. Cedar (Uèdrus Deodùra
Roxb.) is a native of Nepal, whence it w
ttigland in 1822. It forma a tree from 80ft to 100 f r 'in
Afeulair? ’0o1r LLeebbaannmon?.^ ’ "fAe" mos!t "mloagren i.friacpeindt garnodw tohr ntahmafeenthtael
tree, superior ir. ,oto,,otot.» ot.vi
6086. The imbrieated.leaved A
(Araucaria imbricàta -Pan.) is ai
ipccts.evon to the common cedar.
will be valu!
1.1 lOT-OToii auoui, 12 /., Icaviiig a proni
re.” (Uighland Soc. Trans., voi. i
6081. Thm planiing thè larch is r.
will fetcli
- ......... maybe mOadiiec ooff tthh—e bOaTr-k_-,-
should be given when the trees are from
OTOT OT„uOTj-i,rc years old, which will leave from 380 to
400 trees per acre.”
6080, Prumng the larch. Little or no pruning was nsed ii
tho larch plantations a t Dunkeld. The 380 trees left in th,
acre, It IS observed, “ will require a little pruning and trim,
mmg oi the lower branches, in order to givo headroom to tin
cattle which are to browse on the grass below. The whok
d thinnings will cost ahout 5/., and their produce
a pro1f.iti xo,i lp t.h 1e9m0 .o) f about 7/, ai
- ---------- r-—.......u Q-OT.OT otS recommended by the lati
Duko of Athol, because It allows the lower branches to ox
tend to a CTeator size; and on these depend the thickness o
«1C base ofthe trunk ofthe tree, and the strength of its roots
He therefore seldom planted more than 2000 plants per acre
more especially in elevated regions.
6082. Insects and diseases. Tlio C6c
sects mentioned as inhabiting the commo
the larch. About the year 1805, most of :
Britain were seriously injured by the wool!
Coccus lAricis, but considered by some as (
fort,,...rt.ro....g. afterwards tli; o- - rt. .rtFC disnniv'srct *
caslonally.
the -■
----- X) several diseases, tin
that of the decay of the heart wood me
ing ¡laragraph, It is also subject to i
defect in the V '- ’ ' ' '
kcr. Í ungula -wood callod in the north of Scotland vumpinn
None of these diseases admit of being cured, but they may
tariri by a proper clioicc of soi! and situation,
6Ü80. 3/ic Cedar ofLebanonu the CS</?-!ts Libdni Barrel.
(Larru Ftn. 59. t. 37.); Cldre, F r.; Ceder, Ger. and Dutch ;
and Cedro, Ital. It is distinguislied from all othor trees of the
Abietin® by its strong ramose branches, whioli, in some cases,
when the tree stands alone, deviate from the common charnr-
tcT, and become irregular in sliajie, and permanent in ilura-
tion. 1 ho general charaeter of the shoot, even when the tree
is young, is singularly bold and ¡licturesque, and quite peculiar
to tlic species. The tree is a native of the coldest ¡,art of
the mountains of Libanus, Amanus, and Taurus; but it is
uot now to be found in those places in great numbers. Maun-
droll, m hia Journey from Aleppo to Jerusalem iu UJ96, could
reckon ouly sixteeu large trees, though many small
of the largest was 12yds. 6 in. in girth, and y
Th e old—es t sp_ecimens a in the Chelsea Garden; but there aro more magnificent
at Whitton Bark, Syon House, Painshill, Warwick Castle
•k Place, and other piacos. The cedars'alludiHl'
, or at considerable distances apart from each otber;
Claremont, Ascot Place, and in the plantations of similar
age in various other residences, whore the cedar has been
planted, and drawn up by the close proximity of other trees
It IS as straight and as clean as the larch would be under simi]
lar circumstances.
6084. Use. The cedar has heen very generally planted for
ornament; and, from its branchy heaH,*^and itLiverslon to
pruning, it is not likely ever to become a vnliuible timber tree
in tins country. V, hen plaulod for that purpose, it should, as
tyng recommends, be sown in groves, and tlms by ¡iroximity
¿ aw n up with few brunches. Mucli has been said of the
ftmber which borders on the miraculous: as lar as oxnerienco
has gone, it is greatly inferior to tliat ofthe common larch or
the wild pine. Its groat use is as a single tree in lawns, where
u corabiins beauty and singularity in a degree not to be found
in any other tree. It lias also an excellent effect in the mar
gill ot ¡ilaiitations, and one or t« o plants will give force and
character to tlie dullest front of round-headed trees, and effeet
.. Leba)
il. nii'Y.'i,::“'“ “‘»o. Ill point 01 ooauty this species
in 1856 ; hut
V’ fera *'‘■‘’“*2 of plantations Li'ghind'by MEPort''
nt growth of the cedar. I tree, ¡lerfecily hardy,
at ditterent places m Britain, will be found in tlie Gardener's < growii'g almost in am
Magazine ; more especially of thoir growth at Hlghclcre, in ! fs neitlmr too wot nor t
Chili Pine
from 50 ft. to 100-ft., and somoTi..,OT
1.50 ft, in into before 1796
inly recently become
.... " • -aiso.
8,1 .t.r le.e.s_ _w h le.rno Yy-o u. r
aht/Afoen 'n lOM »Produced beforev i1rg6i0n4i.à na TLh.)e. woAo dtr eies
6DG08J«. r m a n u f a c t u r e of black-lead pencils. the Western or American Arbor Vitce ('Aiiia occi
tyntàlis L.V and //le Oriental q t Chinese Arbor Kii;e f i ’hùia
oricntàlis L. ). The first of these forms a tree 40 ft. or 50 it
flowers In Al"® mfroiluced from Canada before 1596. It
ipoiis its cones tho foUowing
cons.i d. eAremd emriocare i tsin wdée'sotdr ufrcfteiibsleer fftehfaenp OtThotss"eM odf" rih®’‘fe"hi^h"'"’
11 0 Chinese arbor vitæ is a low t
ly other tree,
hoight of 20 ft. It was introduced
tree, never exceeding the
1752. InC h ln la iid
was tliought so effl-
cacious 111 diseases, that the tree’ conseqiience called
Arbor Vitie, or the Tree of Life.
eyBrcss(Cupr6ssu8 h spreadtn-/ evergreen V.yprfss (Uu-
Ffo.nfeL? 1 i“ Mill.), are peculiarly adapted for various
BBootuhf kkiin ddss aarlee Anartyae s ¿"trehv,e East, and were introduced b'Ir'«fo«“re
1648. ll ie wood is hard, fragrant, of a remarkably fine
ti/ar (Clipressus /hydldes I,.). An evernative
oI„f,r tCroa.lr o..-l.i.-n-Ia ,i .w. -hI relrl-e' it grows in moist soi! higli. Introduced in 1756.
^^'«<-«ty»-«/6'oa((;upri>ssus Insitanlca roiim.) is a
IfeR-. fo a native of the East Indies, where it
fieight of 1 ! fr fe fe fr-> ‘hnngh it seldom exceeds the
ra Srofe fe f ita-ngland, where it was introduced in 1683.
I.ItX rOal' fleu®ga*i i, in considered to be naturalised.
and Us wood is uscd«for timóci
d09o. Lambert's Cypi-ess (Cl ■¿ssusLatnberttujia Gordon).
00 ft. in height. A native of
, -...„OTOT... „<.» introduced about 1839 Tbptmoi»
perfectly hardy, and, according to Hartweg, who found it in
IL ceU¥feLe’Kinfem"“
6094. The Funebrai Cypress (Cupr
China ii BssusfunèbrisÆnd/.). .
: cemeteries, and growin
ve It bears some reserablant
eeping willow. It was intrt
about 20 ft. high, ’a - ,
la its habit of growth to the
duced by Fortune in 1848.
‘f i Cypress (Taxòdium distU
J n ‘réfe ^ i'n ornamental tree, as it
situations, where no
a very handsonie tree, aud^grows from'^lM f r feofeVo frfo^h*
6096. 'The evergreen
'■■-trd C’crfnr (Taxòdi:
mars/i Cypress, Red-wood, or
ipervirensLamft., Siquoia sem-
•kablo treo was flrst discovered
' -■ ■ 'inarfcablo
nd it was also sec
ntroduced till 184J
ived in England from Dr. Fischei
hy Dr. Coulter
when plants of
Tl ■ — ,■-------- ..OT,.i XI,. X .aviici of St. Petersburgh.
Hartweg however, found the mountains of Santa Cruz, about
sixty rniles distant from Monterey, covered with trees of this
Ii om 18 ft. to 24 ft. Ill cireunifereiico, quite straight, and clear
of branches to the height of (10 ft. or 70 f t.; one tree whfoh I I
-'Prawan settlers ‘«the Gi.ant of the Forest,’-
-wnb a trunk measuring 55 ft. In circumference
fro™ ftra ground. The wood ofth is tree is mueh
¿.California for out nnd In-door work, and a large qiian-
tity of It is annually cx])ortcd to the Sandwich Islands The
tree is perfectly hardy, and grows well in almost all situations
s w t . r s ‘ta
'The Japan Cedar (Oryptom^ria iaponica D Don^
ovorgreei1 tree, from 60ft. to 100 fr. h>iigSlhi ;; a native of
■0 sceds wore scnt to
is n very ornamental
of casy e-ultivarlon,
1 any soil providod it
S e c t . I I , Hard-icooded non-resinous Trees. •
"ta the „rin d p e : , peciosi the .post
6099. The Oak is the Quércus L- ; Monce'c. Polydn.
AmentàcecB i. Chêne, Fr. ; -Bic/ie, Ger. Üutch :
tyicrria, Ital. The followmg species andI vari' eti'es a
and hardness of tho timber of the podimeulated oak, it is, in fact,
for tlicir timber.
61CI0. 'The oai-s indigenous to Rritain are the Q A>6hiir O
¿8silill6ra, and Q. puhescens. The first two grofe to t l?
height of 50 ft. or (iO ft. in strong loam; and the latter m
the height of 30 ft. or 40 ft. All of them flower in April
and npen their acorns in October or November. The most
valuatyespetysissaid (Caled. Hort. J/cm., vol. iii. p.376.)tobe
the «6bur (.Smith’s Eng. Flora), o t the stalk-fruiicd. It is
didtmguiBhcd from (?. sosslHHi'ira, bythe marked circumstaiiee
of f I.OT QQQrt... ,,|aood on longfruitstalks, while those ofthe
nearly sessile. Besides tlio su|ici'ior utility and
e than the scssile-fruited ; bu
Professor JUinyii'saj’s
duncniated is equally
this is not the case, and that tho peduni
general as tho other. Itis observed by Du
in forests being pro|>agated from the acorn.
varieties that it
isiiiflòra a
Hamel th u ., _
. there are so many
. lot ..„ot otoot losombling each other
or Martyn observes that the figures
w,i n•c h- s,h ows t,l.i.a..t.. -t,h .a..t. ..v-a riety hfra^dr ab ueennif omrmoslty coonm mfooonts ;t alaknsd,
Ray considers it as the common oak of England. Dii Roi
afiirms that the timber of tbe sessile-friiited ia reddisli, aud
bnitlc, wlule that of the stalk-frulied is whitish and hard.
■i F 3
r é ' k l
, / ' j i
to'il
I . . ï l