size. The age of those of which I counted the rings, and which would be about the same age as the one photographed, was 330 to 350 years, these trees showing no signs of decay. The bark in dense forest is very thin for such large trees, sometimes only 2 to 3 inches thick, and though in older and more isolated trees it attains a much greater thickness, as much as 9 to 15 inches near the ground, it struck me as not being so thick and rugged as the bark of old European larch.
The undergrowth in the forest was not dense, and was composed of Berberis aguifolium, Cornus canadensis, Linnea borealis, Symphoricarpus, Thalictrum, with violets, strawberries, and in some places that lovely little orchid Calypso boreale. There were abundant seedlings of larch and Douglas fir springing up wherever there was enough light and moisture, but in the drier parts of the forest pine only was seen. The young cones were already formed on 29th May, and I came away with the impression that though this tree may not rival the European or Japanese larches in rapidity of growth, it will be valuable in the mountains of Central Europe and will probably succeed on the better soils of England and Scotland.
With regard to the timber of the western larch, Prof. Sargent says that "it surpasses that of all other American conifers in hardness and strength, it is very durable, beautifully coloured, and free from knots; it is adapted to all sorts of construction, and beautiful furniture can be made from it. No other American wood, however, is so little known." Through the kindness of Mr. K. Ross I was able to bring back from the St. Louis Exhibition a door and frame made from this wood which fully bears out Sargent's high opinion of it.
Until a few years ago the timber of the western larch was invariably called tamarack, and was of no great commercial importance. The use of this name, which is properly applied to Larix americana, the timber of which is little esteemed, proved prejudicial to the reputation of the western larch in the eastern states. Of late years the timber merchants of Idaho and Montana insist on the use of the term larch; and large quantities of this lumber are now being exported even as far east as New York. Coarse grades are used for joints, beams, and railway ties. Finer grades are sawn into planks, used for flooring, and are converted into materials for indoor finish, as ceiling, laths, mouldings, panelling, etc. The timber is remarkably free from knots, and is variable in colour, being often nearly white, though it is usually reddish in tint. (H.J.E.)
