Buchanan County bulletin and guardian., 1868-03-20
BY JOSEPH l.. BuDD.
rHE EUROPEAN LAkcH AND IT'S PROPAGATION
TRON SEED.

rnE EUROPEAN LARCH AND ITS PROPAGATION
IRON SEED.
The list of trees commented upon at
length, Immediately following, Is intended to
comprise those most desirable for extended
the benefit, however, Of those who would
wish the pleasure Of growing greater vari>
ETY. in their home surroundings, quite an ex-
tended lis. of hardy trees and shrubs is adj
ded, with brief notes relative to their propa-
CATION and management. No botanical de-
scription is in any case attempted; for the
reasons that msagre description is little
better than none, and botanical phraseologT
is not &C l,erally understood. Where doubts
may exist in any case ~ to the particular
variety of tree referred to, the initiated may
in almost any neighborhood refer TO . bots
anical class.book, while those nos familiar
with the science could best gain Information
from neigbbors who may be better posted.
Larix Commsnis, European White
Larch.) The Larch is . resiaous, cone>
bearing tree, but different from the Pine
family, in the annual shedding Of IFS leaves.
IN Europe, its home is the coldess part Of
the Alps and Appenines, and in America.
the most northern part Of the UnSted States
and the Canadas. Our native sorts, gener>
ally known as Tamerack and Hackmatack, !,
grow naturally upon l0w grounds, and thrive
rather poorly in dry situations. Their tiu>
Der having no marked value for fuel or other
uses, their culture cannot be recommended. !.
The European Larch, on the contrary,
thrives in almost any soil, from that which
is sterile, dry and sandy, 10 the richest allu>
vial soils Of the West. Its timber too, equals,
IL not exceeds in strength and durability, the
best English Oak. II has now become en-
physically the great timber tree of Europe.
Although little over . century has passed
since the 6rst plantations we're made, hun-
dreds of thousands of acres Of the most
worthless lands Of England, Scotland. and
the German States have since been covered
with this tree aiding these countries in their
arts, their manufactures and capacity 10 sus.
tain dense population almost beyond con-
ception. Although very quick grower, the
european Larch IS unquestionably the mos
enduring timber that We have. In oil other
resinol is trees, the red or heart wood is mol
found until after many years. growth. The
Scotch Pine, for instance, has little red OF
perfect wood until twenty-five or thirty year.
old. The Larch, on the contrary, when on
" large hnough for walking stick, has The
same proportion Of almost indestructibl,
eart-wood in proportion to its diameter u
the Oldest forest tree. To give IN idea o
| the estimation in which this tree is held il
Europe, ~ill extract few passages from
Loudon's Arboretum, . standard authorit,
the world over:
.The wood he saysl is not 6lled viii
knots, like the Spruce Fir; il Is excellsn
for carpentry; beams made of il are yer,
etrong. and not liable TO rot. il may be em
ployed saialy in damp places, - ia cellars
Be-, aud vill remain sound and nninjnre'
| when resting on The earth. tn strength i
at least equal to that Of the oak. The Ger
mans nuke casks Of il, which may be sai
TO last forever, and from which the spirituos
particles Of tha vine ars hardly ever foun'
TO have. eyaporsted." This trse,' say
Nalesherbes, is the highest. the straightcs
the most incorruptible of all the Swiss indis
enous woods Il j. much used. hy cshins
meksrs, - ffom The clossnsss It's grain
takes 6ns pcfish Larcris much used
! Switzerland for shingles and vine prop
For tho latter purpose il is found the mo-
durable Of all kinda Of wood the vine prof