It is now upwards of 80 years since the larch, so common in Britain, was brought from the Appenines to Strath-Tay. The rapidity of its growth and striking novelty of appearance, assisted by the influence of the family of Athole (to a female of which some say we owe its first introduction), soon attracted general attention: it quickly spread over the neighbouring country, and was planted in every variety of soil and situation, from the unfitness of which, in most places of the low country, it is already fast decaying. About 40 years ago it began to be planted in many parts of Britain. It is now introduced into almost every new plantation in the two islands, and {78} the space of country covered by its shade is extending with a rapidity unparalleled in the history of any other ligneous plant. Larch is generally conceived to be an alpine[18] plant, and its decay in the low country attributed to situation or climate. This idea seems to have arisen from its locality in Italy, and from observing it succeed so well in our alpine districts, not taking into account that the soil is different,—that it may be the soil of these districts which conduces to the prosperity of the larch, and not the altitude. Throughout Scotland, wherever we have observed the decay, it appeared to have resulted almost solely from unsuitableness of soil. We have witnessed it as much diseased on our highest trap hills, 1000 feet in altitude, as on a similar soil at the base. Yet the freeness from putrescency or miasma of the pure air of the mountain, {79} and deficiency of putrescent matter in the ground, or other more obscure agencies connected with primitive ranges, may have some influence to counterbalance unsuitableness of soil. It is not probable that the coolness and moisture of altitude would be necessary in Scotland to the healthy growth of a vegetable which flourishes under Italian suns, on the general level of the Appenine and on the Sardinian hills.