,transcriber's ,note    ,italic text    
displayed as3 italic                    
,,remarks    ,,on    ,,the ,,management1
    ,,or ,,rather1 ,,the                
,,mis-,,management1    ,,of    ,,woods1 
,,plantations1    ,,and    ,,hedge-,,row
 ,,timber4        ,,by ,j4 ,,west1      
,land ,agent1 c4 c4    ,,north          
,,collingham1 ,,newark1 ,,notts4        
,,newark4    ,,printed ,,and ,,sold ,,by
 ,j4 ,,perfect1 ,,cartergate4           
,,longman  ,co4 ,,london4      #ahdb4   
,,to    ,,john ,,evelyn ,,denison1      
,,esq4    ,m4 ,p4        ,,sir1         
,having had the honor to spend nineteen 
years in your service as  resident ,land
 ,agent--having during that period1 as  
well as since1  received from you many  
marks of favour--having on your ,estate 
laid the  foundation1 and to some extent
 tested the accuracy1 of the opinions   
which are given in the following pages2 
,i am1 ,i assure you1 deeply  grateful  
for the kind permission with which you  
have favoured me1 to  dedicate them to  

you4    ,if ,i were to allow myself to  
indulge in the expression of feelings1  
which a recollection of my long         
connection with your ,estates might     
prompt1 ,i should risk your displeasure1
 for ,i well know1 how  distasteful to  
you would be the language of adulation2 
,i shall  therefore only add1 that it   
gives me pleasure to dedicate my ,book  
to  you1 because1 from long experience1 
,i know you to be the zealous patron  of
 improvement in every department of     
rural economy1 and because you  are     
practically and intimately acquainted   
with the subject on which ,i  have      
written4    ,encouraging as it would be 
to me if it were so1 ,i do not expect   
that you will concur with me in all the 
views to which ,i have given            
expression3 nevertheless1 ,i trust ,i   
may be allowed to hope that1 in  the    
main1 the principles which are developed
 will approve themselves to  your       
judgment1 and command your approbation4 
,i have the honor to be1      ,,sir1    

,your most obedient obliged ,servant1   
,j4 ,,west4      ,north ,collingham1    
,notts4    #acth ,june1 #ahdb4          
,,preface4      ,it has probably been   
with many others as it is with the      
writer of  this1 who finds the little   
which he has to say by way of ,preface1 
more  disagreeable1 and more difficult1 
than he has found any other part of  his
 book4 ,a ,preface1 however1 of some    
sort or other1 must be written4    ,the 
writer cannot say1 as some have done1   
that he has pushed off his  bark1 and is
 content to leave it to its fate--he    
does not pretend1 with  ,kent1 the      
author of 8,hints to ,gentlemen of      
,landed ,property10 that  8these hints  
are published from no motives of        
interest whatever0--on the  contrary he 
is ready to avow1 that1 while he would  
feel it1 under a  certain modification  
of circumstances1 a most agreeable and  
congenial  occupation of his time1 to be
 employed in establishing a better      
practice in the management of ,woods1   

,plantations1 c4 he is not in a         
position to be so disinterested as      
altogether to lose sight of his  own    
interest in the matter4 ,further3 while 
he feels it to be an object  of vast    
importance to the great body of ,landed 
,proprietors1 and others1  that a new   
system should be laid down and acted    
upon1 the ,author wishes  not to        
disguise the fact1 that he seeks the    
honourable distinction of  being        
permitted to assist in correcting the   
evils1 which he thinks he  may have been
 the first so strongly to point out4    
,the ,author cannot but hope that he has
 proved all that can be fairly          
considered as implied in his ,title2 and
 if he have done so1 it may be          
productive of much advantage to those   
who possess property in ,woods1  c43    
their attention being once strongly     
called to the subject1 they  cannot fail
 to perceive that there is plenty for   
them to do4    ,the ,author needs not to
 be told1 for of that he is quite       

conscious--that  his book is very       
defective in arrangement1 and faulty in 
style1  but if he have succeeded in the 
attempt to be tolerably 8plain and      
perspicuous10 and 8not very             
ungrammatical10 that is as much1        
perhaps1  as ought to be required of a  
practical man4    ,one word is necessary
 here1 with reference to ,sir ,h4       
,steuart1 whose  name1 as a ,planter1   
the ,author has mentioned at page #eh4  
,he wishes to  correct an impression    
which he may have produced1 that the    
honourable  ,baronet is altogether      
opposed to the practice of preparing the
 soil  previous to planting4 ,this is   
not the case2 but ,sir ,henry1 with     
singular inconsistency1 after speaking  
in the highest terms in favour  of      
trenching1 manuring1 c4 declares the    
practice to be inapplicable  to         
,plantations on a large scale4 ,it is   
unnecessary to remark here1 that  on    
this point the ,author is of a different
 opinion4           99       99       99

       99       99    ,p4 ,s4 ,the      
,author reviews neglected ,woods1       
,plantations1 c4 and gives  directions  
for their proper management1 or he would
 contract with any  ,noblemen or        
,gentlemen to overlook their ,woods1 c4 
at so much per acre  per year4          
,,introduction4      ,in writing the few
 8,,plain ,,remarks0 which follow1 ,i   
shall1 in a great  measure1 confine     
myself to the consideration of two main 
points1  viz4--the present state1 and   
the present mode of managing such  ,old 
,woods1 ,plantations1 and ,hedge-,row   
,timber1 as ,i deem to be under  a      
course of improper treatment1           
suggesting1 as ,i go on1 an improved    
system of management of them all4       
,respecting both these points1 ,i shall 
have to make statements which1 to me1   
appear very important--statements1      
which ,i know cannot be                 
controverted1--and which1 though they   
may apply1  as they are intended to     
apply1 more particularly to some        

districts than  to others1 will1 more or
 less1 apply to all where ,woods1       
,plantations1  and well-stocked         
,hedge-,rows abound4    ,upon the second
 point in particular1--,i mean the      
present modes of  managing property of  
this description1--,i shall endeavour to
 show  in what respects1 and1 as well as
 ,i am able1 to what extent1 it is      
erroneous or defective4    ,but first1  
,i would remark generally1 that although
 the treatment of  ,plantations is bad  
enough1 it is not so grossly bad as is  
that of  ,ancient ,woods and ,hedge-,row
 ,timber4 ,i have1 for some time1 had it
 in  my mind to write respecting the two
 latter1 having been long convinced     
that a most extensive waste of property1
 and loss of time1 was going  on1 but1  
until now1 ,i have neither had leisure  
to prepare for1 nor  confidence to      
submit to1 a 8discerning public10 those 
views which have  been matured during an
 eighteen years observation and         
experience4    ,i have now1 however1    

resolved to print1 and whatever may be  
the precise  result to myself1 if1 by   
means of this publication1 the attention
 of  ,noblemen and ,gentlemen is drawn  
only to one hundredth part of their     
neglected ,woods and ,plantations1 and  
of their abused ,hedge-,rows1  so as to 
induce them immediately to determine to 
arrest the progress  of the mischief    
that is going on1 and not only to       
commence the work  of improvement1 but  
to proceed to the necessary extent in   
carrying it  on1 two most important     
results1 at least1 will be produced2    
viz42  to ,proprietors themselves a very
 considerable present or prospective    
advantage--in some cases both--and a    
large measure of real benefit to the    
,labouring ,classes1 in the increased   
demand which will be created for  the   
labour of their hands4 ,this last object
 is so vastly important1  that an       
enlightened and benevolent mind will    
always be ready to listen  to any       
suggestions that may be thrown out to   

promote it2 but at a  period like the   
present1 when one great constitutional  
change in our  domestic policy has been 
made1 and when there is too much cause  
to  fear that another is about to be    
tried1--each of which is as much an     
experiment in morals as any thing       
else1--it is invested with a much       
higher claim on the attention of those  
to whom the appeal may be made1  than in
 ordinary circumstances it would be4    
,it will readily be seen that ,i refer  
to the new ,poor ,law and to the  ,corn 
,laws2 the former of which throws the   
poor man almost exclusively  on his own 
resources4 ,to provide him therefore    
with healthful  employment1 at such a   
time1 and under such circumstances1 will
 tend  more than any thing else can do1 
to lessen the difficulty and danger of  
the transition from the old to the new  
law1 and to mitigate the perhaps        
necessary severity of the provisions of 
the latter4    ,before ,i proceed any   
further ,i would state1 that ,i shall   

not attempt  any thing like a systematic
 course1 nor shall ,i confine myself to 
a  scientific arrangement of my         
subjects3 nor again1 shall ,i trouble   
myself about the technical names of the 
several ,trees which ,i may  have to    
mention3 nor1 lastly1 is it my intention
 to aim at elegance  of composition4 ,i 
do not write to establish a literary    
reputation1  well knowing that to such  
an object ,i am unequal1 and that if it 
were otherwise1 there is a want of      
adaptation in my subject2 but ,i  wish  
to be understood as addressing myself to
 those who1 not being  themselves       
practically acquainted with the subjects
 here treated  of1 are not unwilling to 
listen to the opinions which ,i have    
formed1  and profit by the experience   
which ,i have derived from close and    
extensive observation1 while myself     
actually employed in the details  of    
management1 connected alike with the    
,timber and ,coppice of ancient  ,woods1
 with the planting and subsequent       

treatment of ,plantations and  with     
,hedge-,row ,timber4    ,of course ,i am
 aware that much has been said1 and much
 has been  written1 by others who have  
preceded me1 on these subjects1 but     
notwithstanding that this be true1 ,i am
 not at all of opinion that this  branch
 of rural economy has received its fair 
share of attention1 or  that the subject
 has been viewed in that particular     
aspect in which it  is here presented1  
highly important and interesting as that
 view must  be acknowledged to be1 when 
considered as it affects the growers of 
,timber1 the labouring poor1 and the    
community at large4    ,there will be   
many1 doubtless1 who will dissent from  
some of my  opinions4 ,they will have a 
good and sufficient cause to do so1 if  
they  adjudge them to be erroneous3 they
 have just as much right to hold  their 
opinions as ,i have to hold mine1 but ,i
 wish it to be always  remembered by    
those who may read the following pages1 
that every  conclusion to which ,i have 

been brought1 and every inference that  
,i  have drawn1 has had its origin in   
actual experience4    ,to practical men1
 and more particularly still1 to such   
practical men  as are like myself--to   
use a homely phrase--more at home in a  
,wood or  ,plantation than any where    
else--,i need not make more than a      
general  reference to what they daily   
see1 in proof of the 8mismanagement0    
which ,i intend to show1 but as to the  
,proprietors it surely must be          
otherwise4 ,they cannot1 one would      
suppose1 be at all aware of the  fact1  
that one part1 and that a most          
interesting and valuable part1 of  their
 property1 is so mismanaged as to call  
loudly for an immediate  remedy6 ,i     
affirm1 however1 without hesitation1    
that while ,agriculture  has made rapid 
strides in the march of improvement1 and
 while that  first of all improvements  
in ,agriculture1 ,draining--7although as
 yet  but very imperfectly understood1  
and1 in a very serious number of  cases1

 very ill done7--has been extensively   
attended to--while the  adaptation of   
,manures 7although science has yet much 
to do1 and much  to teach us1 on this   
point7 has been carried to such an      
extent1 as  is unparalleled in any age1 
and almost in any country but our own2  
and withal so successfully1 as to turn  
barren and hitherto sterile  ,wastes1   
,forests1 and ,moors1 into productive   
occupations--while such an              
extraordinary degree of ingenuity has   
been applied to the invention and       
practical working of different          
implements1 as to render the operations 
of husbandry comparatively simple and   
easy--and while yet once more1  the     
attention which has been paid to the    
breeding and rearing of the  various    
kinds of ,stock1 has raised them to a   
pitch of excellence which  our          
forefathers never contemplated1 and     
which scarcely leaves any room  for     
further effort--while all this proves1  
,i say1 that the large landed           

,proprietors of this country1 stimulated
 and assisted by the skill of  the man  
of science1 and by the enterprize and   
persevering efforts of  the ,tenant     
,farmer1 have paid almost adequate      
attention to one part  of their estates1
 it is equally undeniable that the      
present condition  of a large proportion
 of the ,woods1 ,hedge-,rows1 and       
,plantations1  furnishes proof of the   
grossest neglect1 and a perfectly       
unaccountable  want of attention4 ,to   
point out wherein this neglect consists1
 and to  prove this want of attention1  
will be the object of the following     
8,remarks40    ,it is really surprising 
that in an age like this1 when there is 
an onward movement in almost everything 
else1 such instances of  8mismanagement0
 of ,woods1 c4 should every where meet  
the eye4 ,if any  one well acquainted   
with the subject1 were to take horse and
 ride  through every county of the      
kingdom1 he would find in ninety cases  
out  of a hundred1 the ,old ,woods      

especially1 to be in as bad a condition 
as  if they were solely intended for fox
 or game covers1 and incapable of  being
 turned to any other use4 ,they are     
permitted to continue precisely  in the 
same uncultivated state in which their  
present possessors found  them1         
,gentlemen too often totally overlooking
 the important fact1 that  while they   
might1 by proper attention to the       
draining and improvement  of their      
,woods1 and the best mode of disposing  
of the produce1 give  employment to a   
very considerable number of their poor  
dependents2  increase the present       
revenue1 and lay the foundation of a    
greatly  improved permanent income from 
them1 they would1 to a very small       
extent1 if at all1 injure the covers for
 sporting purposes4    ,as to           
,plantations1 the treatment may be said 
to be somewhat better1  but1 as ,i have 
before said1 in most cases it is bad    
enough1 as ,i shall  hereafter show4    
,of the ,hedge-,rows ,i affirm1 that    

they are1 very generally1 either left   
entirely to themselves1 or to the tender
 mercies of the occupiers of  the soil1 
who1 having no interest in their        
success1 but rather the  contrary1      
cannot1 of course1 be expected to       
exercise any care in their              
preservation4    ,having thus briefly   
introduced the various subjects which it
 is my  intention to notice more fully  
under separate and distinct heads1 ,i   
shall commence my first chapter with    
8,ancient ,woods40          ,,chap4 ,i4 
,,ancient ,,woods4      ,while          
professionally employed1 and while      
passing from one part of the  country to
 another1 my surprise has often been    
great1 when ,i have  witnessed1 from its
 effects1 the indifference which many   
gentlemen  manifest1 as to the state and
 management of this description of      
property3 there appears1 in             
comparatively few instances1 to be any  
thing worth the name of an effort to    
rescue them from that state of  wild    

unproductiveness in which they have been
 for ages6 ,one generation  passes away 
after another1 and like as was the      
father1 so is the  son--and as was the  
agent of the former1 so is the agent of 
the latter6  ,all they have done for    
ages gone by1 they do now1 and little or
 nothing  more4 ,they calculate1 with   
tolerable accuracy1 the return of the   
year1  when1 according to immemorial    
custom1 they ought to 8cut1 and hack1   
and  hew10 and they go into the wood for
 the purpose of setting out the  piece  
which they intend to fell3 this they    
divide1 in many districts1  into a      
certain number of lots1 or ranges1 of   
what they call 8,gad ,wood10  which vary
 considerably in size1 but which1 as far
 as they go1 include  all the           
,underwood4 ,at the same time1 the      
sapient woodman contrives to  satisfy   
himself--and it is seldom that his      
superiors make any inquiry  into the    
matter--as to the number of ,oak ,trees1
 c4 that it is proper  to take down2 and

 then1 after due notice given1 the whole
 is sold1  ,underwood and all1 by       
,auction4    ,it is a common practice to
 describe a ring round a portion of the 
,standard ,trees which are to           
remain--such as the ,oak1 ,ash1 c4--and 
these1  of course1 are intended for     
future timber1 the selection being often
  as bad as it well can be1 but the     
whole system1 from the beginning to  the
 end1 is most objectionable1 and it is  
matter of astonishment that  it should  
have continued so long4 ,it is          
objectionable for many reasons1  among  
which ,i mention the following3 viz43   
because the ,proprietor  throws out of  
his own hands that control which a      
gentleman ought to  have over every     
person who enters his woods1 whether as 
a purchaser or  as a workman4 ,this     
control is absolutely necessary in order
 to secure  two things1 for which       
,conditions of ,sale1 however well they 
may be  drawn up1 offer but a very      
feeble security--,i mean the prevention 

of  entry by teams1 c4 at an improper   
season1 and the clearing of the  ,woods 
at a given time4 ,there are other       
reasons which apply more or  less       
strongly1 according to the condition of 
the wood1 as to its  stock1 and the     
staple of its soil4 ,carting1 or rather 
teaming1 for  carts are not often used1 
will inevitably do much injury in woods 
that  are well stocked1 if the utmost   
possible care is not taken1 whatever    
the soil may be2 but if it be a         
tenacious1 retentive1 cold1 clay1       
damage would be done in two ways3 viz43 
in the poaching of the land1  and in    
that which would be done to the stock by
 the wheels4 ,the  injury to which woods
 are liable from these two causes1 and  
others1 may  be almost wholly prevented 
by the active supervision of an         
intelligent  woodman4 ,such a person    
will take care to divide his cuttings as
  nearly as he can to suit the local    
demand1 and to begin as early  as       
possible1 so that every opportunity may 

be seized1 in suitable  weather1 for    
getting away the produce1 and it must be
 his own personal  duty to see that no  
avoidable injury is done to the stools  
by the  carriages4 ,these reasons appear
 to me to be quite sufficient to        
establish a decided preference for the  
mode which ,i recommend over  the system
 to which ,i have referred2 but there is
 another1 which ,i  cannot but think    
will be deemed of importance enough by  
itself to  decide the question1 and it  
is this3 viz43 the impossibility of     
deciding1 before the ,underwood is cut1 
what ,oak ,trees ought1 or  ought not1  
to come down4 ,it is quite possible1 ,i 
admit1 to jump to a  conclusion on the  
subject3 to deny this in the face of the
 evidence  which every succeeding       
,winter affords1 would be absurd2 but ,i
 affirm  that no woodman can do it      
correctly4 ,he ought1 at least1 to have 
a  clear coast1 to enable him to give   
due consideration to the various  points
 on which he should be fully satisfied1 

before he cuts down that1  which his    
whole life would not suffice to set up  
again4 ,how little  consideration enters
 into these matters1 it is easy for     
those who  really understand them to    
judge4 ,for my own part1 ,i am compelled
 to  say1 that ,i never yet saw a single
 instance1 where timber was selected  in
 the way to which ,i refer1 without     
gross blunders being committed4  ,but   
more than this may be affirmed--and it  
is not an over-weening  fondness for my 
own plans1 but a perfect conviction of  
the utter want  of adaptation in the    
present practice of many1 which induces 
me to say  it--there is not one solitary
 argument that can be advanced in favour
  of the practice which ,i have         
condemned4 ,if this be so1 then let all 
gentlemen abandon it2 if not1 let the   
arguments be brought forward4    ,i have
 said that the whole system is wrong1   
and ,i add1 that no good  will be done  
by a patchwork attempt to amend it4 ,so 
long1 for instance1  as a proprietor    

retains the 8,gad-,wood0 plan1 he will  
insure the  continuance of the old      
system of 8mismanagement40 ,he might as 
well  think of bending1 by his own      
personal strength1 one of the sturdy    
stems  of his well-grown oaks1 as       
attempt to turn his woodman gently aside
  out of his usual track--especially if 
he be an old man--there must be a  total
 revolution effected--he must be put    
into an entirely new course1  if either 
the condition of the woods1 or the      
revenue arising from them1  is to be    
improved4    ,unfortunately it seldom   
happens that customers are not found for
 all  that may be offered1 in almost any
 neighbourhood1 and in any way4 ,i  say 
unfortunately1 inasmuch as it keeps the 
managers of many woods  exactly         
stationary1 while everybody else is     
going on4 ,if they had a  little        
difficulty to contend with1 it might1   
perhaps1 induce a little  reflection1   
and raise a doubt in their minds as to  
the propriety of  the course they were  

pursuing2 which would be a great point  
gained1 as  there has been very little  
thought applied to the management of    
this  species of property1 either by its
 owners1 or by the persons they have    
employed4    ,there are1 no doubt1 many 
refreshing instances of good management 
to  be met with--,i could myself mention
 a few1 were it not invidious to do     
so--but in a large majority of cases1   
from mistaken management1 woods  are in 
a high degree1 and for many reasons1 a  
discredit to those who  belong to them4 
,if the ,woodman's account were fairly  
examined--if a  ,dr4 and ,cr4 balance   
sheet were exhibited1 it would be found 
that  the land was paying a very small  
rent indeed from the underwood1 even    
where there might be very little oak1   
which most assuredly ought not  to be   
the case2 for ,i contend that there is  
no ,ancient ,woodland which  is not     
considerably below the average quality  
of what ,i have seen1 that  is not quite
 capable of growing a full crop--either 

of underwood or of  oak2 and for this   
plain reason1 viz42 because the period  
of pecuniary  sacrifice1 the infancy of 
the wood1 is gone by3 and that woodman's
  management is essentially defective1  
who cannot show1 upon every acre  under 
his care1 a good crop either of the one 
or the other4 ,i would  here remark1    
that a full crop of both cannot         
contemporaneously grow  up together2 and
 this consideration is of far more      
importance in the  management of woods  
than is at first sight imagined1 or1    
than by a  slight acquaintance with the 
subject would be perceived4    ,if there
 is found in a wood a superabundance of 
oaks1 and if they are  seen to be       
thrifty1 nothing could possibly be so   
ill judged as  to thin them too freely1 
even though the crop of underwood were  
entirely sacrificed2 for1 the very      
objects most to be desired1 can  only be
 attained by bringing about that state  
of things which is  here supposed1 and  
which necessarily involves the sacrifice

 of the  underwood1 or1 at the least1   
all idea of any considerable profit     
from it4 ,under these circumstances1 the
 exertions of the skilful  ,woodman will
 be directed to the securing of great   
length of bole  or stem2 for these1 and 
these alone1 are the trees which have   
any  legitimate right to a place in a   
wood3 and1 of course1 the longer their  
boles are1 the better4    ,having       
attained this object1 the woodman will  
then anxiously employ the  best means in
 his power1 for encouraging the growth  
of the underwood1  so far as1 at least1 
to keep it alive1 and as healthy as     
possible2  and if he have well          
considered the subject1 he will have    
contrived to  lay down a plan1 a        
regularly systematic plan1 that his     
successors can  neither mistake1 nor1   
without some good reason1 depart from1  
by which1  during the period that the   
crop of oaks is being taken1 the stock  
of  underwood shall gradually be        
acquiring strength and vigour1 and      

getting  well hold of the soil2 as well 
as that1 they shall be so equally       
diffused over it1 as fully and          
beneficially to occupy the ground1 when 
the oaks are all gone4 ,all these       
calculations1 and many more1 which  it  
is impossible to enumerate1 will suggest
 themselves to the mind of  a man       
well-skilled in the management of woods2
 but there are very few  indeed1 who    
either see the necessity of making1 or  
will give themselves  the trouble to    
make1 any calculations at all4 ,in the  
oversight of  woods1 c4 much more is    
included than is generally supposed4 ,he
 who  imagines1 as too many do1 that    
when woods have been cut1 they may be   
safely left to themselves2 and that when
 the period comes round again  for      
felling1 they will do all that could be 
expected from them1 has a  very         
imperfect knowledge of the subject1 or1 
rather1 no knowledge at  all3 and       
further2 he who does not know that woods
 will ultimately pay  well for the      

highest degree of care1 attention1 and  
culture1 is not a  fitting person to    
have the oversight of them4 ,but such is
 the ignorance  on the part of many1 who
 call themselves woodmen1 and the       
carelessness  of their employers1 that  
there is a total negation of forethought
 and  calculation1 instead of every step
 that is taken having reference to  a   
remote period4    ,a nobleman1 or       
gentleman1 or his agent1 may calculate  
what will be the  effect upon a farm at 
the expiration of a lease of twenty-one 
years1  if it be not cultivated as it   
ought to be1 and1 by introducing certain
  clauses into the lease1 he may secure 
himself against the certain and  serious
 loss which would accrue to him from bad
 management2 and he who  does not so    
calculate1 has a very inadequate idea of
 the nature of the  contract which he is
 about to make2 but the man who takes   
upon himself  the management of woods1  
and whose views and plans are not       
extended  over several of those cycles  

of time which intervene between the     
seasons of cutting1 does not rightly    
comprehend the peculiar duties  which he
 has undertaken to perform1 and ought1  
at once1 to be relieved  from them1 and 
provided for in some other way2 for if  
woods are worth  having at all1 they are
 worth looking after1 and if they will  
pay for  proper culture1 which no one   
who understands the subject will deny1  
they ought to receive it1 for various   
weighty reasons1 which have been  before
 adverted to4    ,the foregoing remarks 
will apply1 of course1 most directly1 to
 woods  where there is an apparent      
redundancy of oak4 ,i will now suppose  
the  case of a wood where there is a    
deficiency1 or little or no oak4 ,here  
there ought1 unquestionably1 to be a    
full crop of underwood4 ,this  underwood
 ought to be adapted1 as to kind1 first1
 to the nature of  the soil2 and1       
secondly1 to the local demand1 if the   
local demand be  good3 and as to its    
age1 of course it must be that which    

best suits  the market1 or when1        
comparatively1 it will fetch the best   
price2 so  that in some districts1 as in
 ,kent1 for instance1 it will sell best1
  and therefore ought to be cut1 at     
about twelve years of age3 in  others it
 would not sell so well at less than    
from fifteen to twenty  years old4 ,but 
it does not follow as a matter of       
course1 that because  a wood has always1
 previously1 stood from twenty to       
twenty-five years1  it should for ever  
continue to do so2 on the contrary1 ,i  
should say1  that there are very few    
woods indeed1 if any1 which ought to    
stand  more than twenty years1 and a    
great proportion of them1 nothing like  
so  long4 ,the great reason why the     
produce of woods does not earlier come  
to maturity1 is the gross               
8mismanagement0 to which they are       
subjected3  but when the time shall     
arrive that they shall be deemed worthy 
of as  much 8care1 attention1 and       
culture10 as any other part of an       

estate1  then will they be found1       
probably1 to yield quite as good a      
return for  it2 and the present no      
system management will be exploded4     
,in all cases where the cycle has run   
beyond twenty years1 it will1 at  least1
 be well for the proprietor1 or his     
manager1 to sit down and  calculate     
whether the stuff would not pay better  
if felled some years  earlier4 ,the     
inquiry can do no harm2 and much good   
may possibly arise  out of it4 ,in the  
case last supposed1 viz43 a wood with   
little or  no oak1 and well stocked with
 underwood of a suitable kind1 there    
cannot be a doubt upon the subject2 for 
if the stock--by which term ,i  mean the
 shoots which have sprung up from the   
stools--has been properly  treated1 it  
will have arrived1 in twenty years1 at a
 size quite large  enough for           
agricultural uses1 and it can very      
seldom be allowed to  stand longer      
without serious injury to the stools4 ,a
 very little  consideration will        

convince any one1 who does not resist   
conviction1  that such ought to be the  
state of a wood so circumstanced as to  
oak2  but nevertheless the actual       
condition of most woods is widely       
different  from this3 instead of there  
being a full crop of underwood1 where   
there  is a deficiency of timber1 or a  
full crop of timber1 where there is     
little or no underwood1 it too          
frequently happens that there is neither
  the one nor the other1 even on land   
which is1 as was remarked before1       
capable of yielding a handsome revenue6 
,and here let it not be supposed  that  
,i am speaking of extreme cases only1 or
 that there are but few  woods in this  
state3 the cases are numerous3 ,i have  
seen1 and could  point out many1 but    
this ,i shall not do3 ,i rather choose  
to leave these  observations with 8all  
whom they may concern10 to work         
conviction where  they are seen to be   
just1 quite indifferent as to the effect
 which  they may produce on the minds of

 any who may oppose them4    ,and now   
let me ask--if this be the state of many
 woods--if neither a  crop of timber nor
 of underwood is found--to what is it   
owing8 the  reply is not difficult3 it  
is mainly attributable to proprietors   
themselves1 and to their agents3 to     
woodmen in a subordinate degree4  ,in   
proof of my first position1 ,i would    
respectfully remark1 that if  a         
gentleman chooses to sacrifice every    
thing to the idea of having  good       
covers2 and1 supposing that any thing   
which interferes with the  primeval     
state of his woods1 is incompatible with
 this object1 refuses  to do any thing  
at them1 the woodman may not bear the   
blame4 ,again3  if a proprietor happen1 
unfortunately1 to have such an aversion 
to  felling timber--and there are many  
such--that he will sooner let it rot    
down1 or allow one tree to destroy      
another2 or again2 suffer the  timber   
trees to stand so thickly that they not 
only totally destroy  each other1 but   

the underwood below also1 the woodman   
ought not to  be censured2 except       
indeed1 he have advised such a course1  
which ,i  can hardly think any man      
accustomed to woods could do1 in the    
present  day4 ,once more2 if gentlemen  
lack the moral courage--and ,i have met 
with some of this description--to treat 
with the contempt which it  deserves the
 vulgar meddling1 the idle tattle of    
those who are ever  ready to say1 when  
timber is felled1 that the owner's      
poverty1 and  not his will1 consents to 
the deed1 we are furnished with         
abundance  of reasons for the serious   
waste of property that is going on1 but 
the  woodman is not in fault1 neither   
ought he to be blamed4 ,lastly3 if      
proprietors commit the management of    
their woods to persons who are  wholly  
incompetent--as is too often the        
case--to discharge the duties  confided 
to them1 ,i cannot see that the men are 
to be condemned1 but  rather their      
employers4 ,wherever such               

8mismanagement0 prevails as ,i  have    
attempted to describe1 and have seen so 
much cause to lament1 it  may generally1
 ,i think1 be traced1 either to         
ignorance on the part of  woodmen1 or   
inattention on the part of their        
employers3 but it will  be quite clear  
to all1 who will allow themselves time  
to think on the  subject1 that the      
grossest mismanagement is to be met     
with1 not on  first1 nor even on second1
 but on third1 and fourth-rate estates1 
where regular woodmen are not kept1 and 
below that grade downwards1  to property
 which is in the hands of ,trustees1 or 
mainly under the  control of            
,solicitors1 or ,corporate bodies2 or1  
which is probably worse  than all1 under
 the supreme direction of men who       
having1 during the  whole of their      
business life1 had too many             
,stewardships1 c4 for any  human being  
to look after and manage well1 cannot of
 course be deemed  capable of judging   
rightly on a subject which requires the 

closest  possible attention1 the nicest 
discrimination1 and an extended and     
varied experience4    ,much mischief has
 also arisen from the employment by     
gentlemen1 and by  their agents1 of     
persons1 who1 while they may1 usefully  
and creditably1  fulfil their duties as 
village carpenters and the like1 cannot 
possibly  possess those enlarged1       
comprehensive views1 which are necessary
 to the  proper management of timber    
generally1 and ,ancient ,woods          
especially4  ,i must here protest       
against the conclusion being drawn1 that
 ,i am  doing injustice to any class of 
men in remarking1 as ,i have done1 on   
their manner of discharging the trust   
committed to them4 ,as to the           
professional gentlemen1 either their    
engagements1 their position1  or their  
habits1 interpose an insurmountable     
difficulty1 and relieve  them from the  
charge of wilful neglect3 and as to the 
others it is no  injustice to them to   
affirm1 as ,i do most positively1 that  

there are  principles and considerations
 involved in this subject1 which they   
can1 in no wise1 grasp or comprehend3   
and so perfectly clear is this  to me1  
so fully am ,i borne out by a long      
course of 8observation and  experience10
 that ,i have never yet seen one        
solitary instance1 where  the timber    
taken down in thinning1 either in woods 
or plantations1  when in such hands1 has
 been properly done2 and in very few    
cases  indeed1 either here1 or higher up
 the scale1 without the most serious    
blunders4 ,one case has fallen under my 
observation this ,winter1  7#ahdb17     
where oak timber trees were selected and
 marked for sale1  which were exactly1  
in every respect1 such as a good judge  
would wish  to see in every wood2 and   
not only1 not too thick1 but1 from the  
same  injudicious mode of selecting and 
marking at previous auctions1 much  too 
thin4 ,they were also in a state of high
 vigorous health1 and  moreover1 there  
was no underwood which could be         

benefited6 ,i admit that  this was a    
more flagrant outrage against the       
principles which ought to  rule in      
selecting1 than is usually committed1   
but the work is hardly  ever done as it 
ought to be4    ,but whatever difference
 of opinion may arise among practical   
men1 upon  the points now under         
consideration1 and on whomsoever the    
blame may  rest1 it is unquestionable   
that the actual state of a large        
proportion  of our ,ancient ,woods is   
very bad indeed3 they are either crowded
  with inferior oak timber1 along with  
the most miserable rubbish as           
underwood2 or1 if they contain any thing
 valuable in either the one  or the     
other1 no principles1 or rules of any   
kind1 are applied in  the management of 
them2 and1 consequently1 they are1 on   
some account  or other1 and of course   
more or less rapidly1 passing through   
the  stage of deterioration1 and are    
annually losing to their owners1 a      
heavy per centage on their value4 ,in   

many cases1 the oak1 from ages  of      
8mismanagement10 is stunted in growth1  
and of a form1 and shape1  totally      
unsuited to the place where it stands2  
and the underwood  consists of that     
alone which is indigenous to the soil1  
and which1  therefore1 no neglect can   
destroy1 nor any culture improve3 in    
addition  to all this1 they are often1  
nay almost always1 on clayey1 retentive 
soils1 ruined with water3 they are      
periodically shut up1 for from  eighteen
 to twenty-five years1 during which     
time1 it is impossible to  do any thing 
at them2 and1 when they are cleared of  
the underwood1  instead of the          
opportunity being gratefully seized1 for
 the purpose  of effecting those        
operations which can only be carried on 
at such a  time1 they are shut up again1
 and left in their original             
state--except  indeed they may have been
 despoiled of some of their oak--nothing
  being done at them1 or1 if any thing1 
probably so little1 or so  ill done1    

that no good result is produced4 ,but   
what ought to be the  course pursued at 
such a time8 ,why1 as it is only during 
the year of  8hagging10 and the         
following season1 that any work of      
magnitude1 any  improvement worth       
mentioning1 can be carried on2 a        
proprietor should  more carefully       
examine his woods when they have been   
cut1 than he would  any other           
description of property3 he should      
himself1 if he understand  it--which1   
however1 is very seldom the case--or if 
he do not1 by a person  who is          
conversant with such matters1 make a    
most rigid1 and particular  survey1 in  
order to satisfy himself as to what     
ought to be done2 and  this he must do  
immediately when the underwood is cut1  
or rather1 as  soon as any considerable 
portion is done1 so that he may have    
before  him all the time which he can   
possibly command1 for carrying on1 and  
completing1 his improvements4 ,he must  
not be deterred from commencing  them by

 any consideration of the remoteness of 
the prospect of return  upon his outlay2
 but1 instead of visiting the sins of   
his fathers upon  the generations       
following him1 he must1 if the case     
demand it1 make a  present sacrifice1   
for the benefit of his posterity3 ,i say
 if the  case demand it1 but this will  
not very frequently happen1 as there    
are very few instances of               
8mismanagement0 where the fear of       
cutting  timber has not been one of the 
principal causes of that mismanagement2 
and where this is so1 there is at once  
found a source from whence may  be      
obtained the means of amply paying for  
any outlay that may be  required4 ,i    
have thus far remarked only on what may1
 and what ought  to be done1 when       
,ancient ,woods come to be felled in the
 regular  way1 and at the usual time and
 age2 but there are vast numbers of     
cases where1 first1 the condition of the
 woods is so bad1 that all              
considerations about the usual time1 are

 merged in the necessity  for           
immediately commencing the work of      
renovation2 and1 secondly1  the         
instances are not few1 where the same   
course is desirable1 in  order that a   
more profitable way of disposing of the 
produce may be  introduced1 to supersede
 the old jog-trot mode of getting rid of
 it4    ,with regard to the first1 it   
will at once be perceived1 by a         
practical  eye1 and a sound judgment1   
whether a wood is in such a state1 as to
  the prospect of a crop1 that it is the
 proprietor's interest to make  a       
sacrifice in the underwood and cut it1  
although it may sell for  nothing but   
faggots1 rather than finish1 or run out1
 the term1 at  the end of which it would
 be cut in the usual course4 ,i have    
seen  hundreds of such cases3 there are 
many in almost every neighbourhood      
where woods exist at all2 and ,i        
confidently ask1 what would be the use1 
or how would it be possible to show the 
propriety1 of completing the  term of   

the cycle1 if1 first1 the wood contained
 nothing valuable as  underwood2 and if1
 secondly1 it contained a considerable  
portion of  timber that required        
immediate attention1 on some account or 
other8  ,i should1 for instance1        
instantly determine to cut1 where ,i    
found a  wood crowded with a class of   
unhealthy oaks1 or other timber3 but it 
is not necessary to particularize1 as ,i
 would not pretend to give such         
directions here as would enable a       
gentleman to decide1 for that could     
only be done after inspection4 ,so many 
points have to be considered1  that a   
careful survey of a wood must be made4  
,this done1 fortunately  there is no    
difficulty in coming to a correct       
conclusion upon such a  question as     
this4 ,a practical man1 who understands 
what he is about1  will be in no danger 
of committing an error in the decision  
to which  he will be led1 for these are 
not subjects on which a difference of   
opinion might naturally arise upon an   

examination taken4 ,the various         
considerations for cutting1 or          
forbearing to cut1 would so  certainly  
present themselves to the mind of a     
person really competent  to judge1 that 
,i should say there would be no doubt   
whatever1 of his  deciding correctly1 if
 he were not interfered with by the     
personal  wish1 or taste1 of his        
employer4 ,it is with this as with most 
other  subjects3--wherever men          
understand what they are about1 and are 
guided  and governed by fixed           
principles1 matters go on well2 but the 
misfortune1 with regard to woods1 is1   
that ages of 8mismanagement10 and  other
 causes1 interpose obstacles and        
difficulties which it will be  no slight
 task to overcome4 ,to give a brief     
summary of my views upon  this important
 point1 ,i would remark1 that no wood   
ought to be allowed  to run out its term
 which is not stocked as it ought to be1
 or  which1 if stocked tolerably well1  
is suffering injury from imperfect      

drainage4 ,as ,i have just said1 these  
points must be determined by an         
examination of the wood by some person  
whose judgment may be relied  upon2 but 
any gentleman may see at once1 if he    
will1 that if a wood is  really in the  
state which ,i have supposed1 viz41     
without either timber  or underwood     
worth standing1 c4 it would be perfectly
 absurd to let  it stand2 for at the end
 of the cycle it would be very little   
better  than at the beginning1 and so   
much more time would be irrecoverably   
lost4    ,as to the second point--the   
improvement of revenue to be derived    
from a  different mode of disposing of  
the produce1 ,i am of opinion that much 
might be done1 in many places1 without  
laying an increased tax on the  local   
buyers1 who are generally either        
farmers1 or their tradesmen1 the        
wheelwrights and carpenters of every    
neighbourhood1 and who already pay      
quite enough for what they get2 and     
especially the former1 to whom ,i  would

 much sooner recommend their landlords  
to allow an abatement1  as an           
encouragement to them to keep their     
fences1 gates1 c4 in good  order1 than  
any thing in the shape of an advance4   
,but still1 much may  be done to        
increase the returns from woodland      
property1 by an improved  system of     
management1 and1 first1 ,i should advise
 a careful assortment  of the stuff     
after it is felled3 ,i would here1 as in
 every thing  else1 classify1 by which  
means1 the different kinds1 as well as  
the  different sizes1 and shapes1 will  
come into the hands of such persons  as 
they may exactly suit1 instead of       
jumbling all sorts together1 so  that a 
buyer is obliged to purchase that which 
he does not want1 in  order to come at  
another portion of the same lot which he
 is desirous  of having4    ,secondly3  
,there is room to doubt1 ,i think1 as   
hinted before1 whether  mistakes are not
 often made1 in not adapting the produce
 of woods  better as to its age1 both to

 the local demand1 and the interests of 
the proprietor4    ,thirdly3 ,so        
numerous are the facilities in the      
present day1 to what  they used to be1  
for the transmission of produce of every
 kind from one  place to another1 and so
 many demands have1 by commercial       
enterprize1  been opened out1 which were
 altogether unknown a quarter of a      
century  ago1 that it may1 even as to   
heavy produce1 like that of woods1 be   
always questioned1 when the demand is   
slack1 and when prices are low1  whether
 the local market be indeed the best    
market1 or whether the  produce may not 
be much better disposed of in some other
 way4 ,that  this sometimes occurs1 ,i  
can prove from my own experience in many
  cases1 but ,i will mention only one1  
which was that of an ,ancient ,wood1  a 
twentieth portion of which was felled   
every year1 and in which1  from         
8mismanagement10 a large quantity of the
 stuff was annually left  unsold1 but   
where1 after the introduction of a      

better system1 the whole  was disposed  
of without difficulty4    ,fourthly3 ,a 
great increase of revenue may be derived
 from a better  mode of managing the    
stock1 both of timber and underwood3 the
 latter  may1 by timely and judicious   
pruning1 by a proper attention to       
draining1 c4 be brought to maturity at a
 much earlier period than it  has       
hitherto been done in many places1 and  
thus1 of course1 be made to  return a   
greater rent4    ,it is incredible how  
little is done to ,ancient ,woods       
compared with  what ought to be done1 in
 the way of draining1 pruning1 stubbing 
up rubbish1 and filling up with young   
plants2 although it is  manifest that1  
whenever a wood is opened1 these        
important operations  should claim the  
very particular attention of the        
proprietor or his  woodman4 ,but they do
 not receive it2 and hence one cannot   
wonder at  the stunted1 unhealthy       
appearance1 which many woods exhibit4   
,they  are almost always without any    

effective drainage1 it being generally  
thought quite sufficient to open out a  
few paltry drains1 which the  falling   
leaves of the first ,autumn will choke  
up4 ,it will indeed very  seldom be     
found1 that even the outside ditches are
 well looked after3  whereas it should  
always be the anxious concern of the    
woodman to  provide1 as well as he      
possibly can1 for the effectual drainage
 of  a wood after being felled1 not only
 during a year or two1 but for the  term
 of the whole cycle4 ,of course ,i am   
aware that the leaves must  fall1 and1  
consequently1 that the free egress of   
the water must1 in  some degree1 be     
impeded1 but1 nevertheless1 it is in the
 power of  the woodman to provide1 in a 
great measure1 if not wholly1 against   
this contingency1 by making a sufficient
 number of ditches1 of ample  capacity1 
and by putting them in the best         
direction4 ,but instead of  this1 it    
will very rarely be found1 as ,i have   
just now said1 that even  the outside   

ditches are properly attended to4 ,the  
consequence is1  that the oaks1 and our 
best underwood1 the ash1 not liking too 
much  moisture1 become diseased1 and    
make comparatively slow progress3 in    
fact1 their existence is shortened by   
it1 as the former will be found  upon   
cold clay land1 having a strong subsoil1
 to be very stunted and  sickly in their
 appearance1 and ultimately to die at   
the top1 when1 of  course1 they must be 
cut down2 while the latter will much    
sooner become  hollow1 and they too1    
will finally perish4 ,a small outlay in 
draining1  if judiciously expended1     
would1 in most cases1 prevent these     
effects1  and as it would only require  
to be done once in fifteen or twenty    
years1 it could not lay more than a     
trifling charge upon the land4          
,pruning is also a very necessary       
operation in ,ancient ,woods1 both of   
the oak and of the underwood4 ,i shall  
not here enter upon an inquiry  into the
 general question of pruning1 but1      

continuing to treat my  subject         
practically1 venture to remark1 that1 as
 our woods are now  circumstanced1      
pruning1 of some kind or other1 is1 as  
far as the  oak is concerned1 quite     
indispensable4 ,whether it should be by 
fore-shortening1 close pruning1 or some 
other method1 must be  determined upon  
an examination taken1 but ,i do not     
hesitate to express  my belief1 that the
 pruning of oak trees in woods1 may be  
almost  wholly dispensed with1 after the
 few first years1 if they are well      
trained from the beginning2 but that    
being the case with very few1  pruning  
must be resorted to4 ,and as to the     
underwood1 the question  has still less 
difficulty in it4 ,when a wood is well  
stocked with  underwood of the right    
sort1 the object to be aimed at by the  
woodman  is to bring it to maturity as  
soon as possible1 and one means which   
he possesses1 if he will make use of it1
 is pruning2 which he should  commence1 
after one year's growth1 and            

occasionally repeat--say on  the fourth 
and sixth years1 allowing the intervals 
to pass without  interfering with it4   
,if this operation be performed as it   
ought to be1  the stools will have a    
number of poles proportioned to their   
size and  capacity of supporting them1  
and the poles themselves will not only  
be  more of an uniform size1 but they   
will be much straighter1 and on every   
account better adapted to the use for   
which they may be intended4 ,but  if a  
wood be stocked with nothing but        
rubbish1 such as hazel1 birch1  alder1  
c4 it will not be worth pruning1 and the
 best course to take  with it1 would be 
to stub it up1 and get rid of it        
altogether4    ,finally1 on this point1 
and more particularly with reference to 
timber1  if the pruning be judiciously  
done1 it will tend greatly to improve   
the health of the wood1 but the         
indiscriminate use of the pruning  knife
 might do much harm1 it should1         
therefore1 only be done under the  most 

careful direction4    ,stubbing up      
rubbish1 such as thorns1 briers1 birch1 
and1 in  many places1 hazel1 is much to 
be recommended1 as by this means1  light
 and air will be admitted more freely1  
and the health of the wood  promoted1   
and1 of course1 its growth facilitated4 
,it is perhaps just  possible1 that     
there may be a few cases where the      
demand may be such  for birch1 hazel1 or
 alder1 as to warrant a woodman in      
keeping them as  a part of his stock2   
but ,i have generally found1 upon       
inquiry1 that  they have fetched such a 
miserable price1 as to yield very little
 more  than would pay expences4    ,the 
absolute necessity of filling up with   
young plants must be  universally       
admitted1 although in practice1 it is   
very rarely done1  or1 if done at all1  
it is very generally so ill done1 as to 
produce no  perceptible improvement in  
the stock4    ,it too often happens that
 sufficient care is not bestowed in     
selecting  the plants4 ,they are        

frequently put in too small1 and when   
they  are long enough1 they are often   
deficient in thickness4 ,all plants  put
 into old woods1 should be of good size1
 stiff1 and well  rooted4 ,again3 it    
will be admitted1 that they are often   
planted in  a most slovenly and careless
 manner4--,the following is a specimen  
of  what ,i have seen4 ,the workman     
takes his spade1 and inserts it in  the 
ground as far as it will go1 in a       
sloping direction2 he then  raises it to
 a perpendicular position1 which1 of    
course1 produces a  8nick10 into which  
he thrusts the plant1 and having put his
 heavy  foot upon it1 there and thus1 he
 leaves it to its fate1 and pursues his 
ill-directed labour1 without a gleam of 
light breaking in upon him1 as  to the  
possibility of his being more usefully  
employed1 or doing his  work in a more  
effective manner6 ,in this way1 or in   
some such way as  this1 thousands of    
acres of ,ancient ,woods are treated    
every year2 but  it must be clear to    

every one1 that such a practice is a    
disgrace to  those who pursue it4 ,if   
the workmen are asked their opinion of  
it1 they  will1 in most cases1 assure   
you1 that the plants will 8all grow10   
but the misfortune is1 that experience  
is against them4 ,both theory  and      
practice are directly opposed to their  
view4 ,but independently of  facts1     
which every where condemn such methods1 
no one acquainted with  the rudiments of
 the subject1 needs to be told1 that it 
is utterly  unlikely that either an oak 
or an ash plant should grow1 under the  
manifest disadvantages in which it is   
placed1 when its roots are thus  jumbled
 together1 and forced into a 8nick0 fit 
only for a willow  set2 and when1       
moreover1 it has to commence its course 
in competition  with other underwood1   
which has already possession of the     
ground4 ,it is  absurd to suppose that  
it should succeed4    ,i do not presume 
to say that some woods do not receive   
different  treatment1 in all respects1  

to that which ,i have denounced3 that   
would not be true2 but these are the    
exceptions1 and even where the          
management is best1 there is much to    
complain of4    ,in commencing the      
subject of ,planting1 ,i am impressed   
with a sense of  the importance which   
should be attached to it in such a work 
as this4  ,i mean planting by way of    
filling up1 in ,ancient ,woods4 ,i am   
quite  aware that it demands such a     
largeness and comprehension of view1    
that  it might well be supposed likely  
to discourage one of stouter nerves     
than mine4 ,it is important because1    
first1 every wood in the kingdom  ought 
to be well planted1 whether it is or    
not3 ,it is so1 secondly1  because there
 are very few that are properly planted4
    ,as ,i have stated before1 the      
infancy of a wood1 or plantation1 is the
  only time when it cannot be expected  
to pay4 ,after it has arrived at  a     
certain age1 say from fifteen to twenty 
years1 it ought to begin to  make some  

return4 ,in woods1 if they are properly 
planted1 it will  necessarily be small  
during the first two cycles of twenty   
years each4  ,it must be observed1 that 
,i am here speaking of the first forty  
years  of an ,ancient ,wood1 supposing  
it to have been thoroughly purged  of   
its rubbish1 retaining all the valuable 
stock1 and to have been  re-planted4    
,the return must be small1 because the  
oaks will have been  planted thickly1 in
 order that they may acquire great      
length of bole3  and this being the     
case1 whatever underwood may have been  
put in1 it  will be treated with direct 
reference to the health and prosperity  
of  the entire class of timber trees4   
,after the expiration of the first      
cycle1 that portion of the stuff put in 
for underwood will be cut  over1 and    
such pruning of the oak as may be       
required 7which will be  very slight7   
will be done1 care being taken never to 
lose sight of  the principle of         
classification of the oaks1 into certain

 families of  larger or smaller size1   
according to the term which a skilful   
woodman  will allot for their entire    
existence4 ,this is of immense          
consequence1  and will embrace          
calculations1 and a knowledge of the    
habits of trees1  which can only be     
acquired by 8close observation and long 
experience40  ,where a sufficient number
 of oaks have been introduced1 the      
underwood  will yield very little return
 per acre1 even at the end of the second
  cycle2 but if the wood has been well  
managed1 it will have been kept  alive  
and tolerably healthy2 and when it is   
cut1 at the end of forty  years1 a      
considerable number of oaks of a useful 
size for farmers1  wheelwrights1 c4 will
 be taken down3 this will admit light   
and air1  and in a slight degree1       
perhaps1 improve the position of the    
underwood  during the course of the     
third cycle4    ,i need not pursue the  
subject farther here1 having1 ,i trust1 
succeeded  in opening to the reader a   

general view of the plan which should be
  pursued4 ,but there are other woods   
where a larger portion1 both of  oak and
 of underwood1 will be found1 and where1
 consequently1 it  will be more the     
object of the woodman to improve by less
 extensive  measures than would be      
adopted in such a case as the one just  
referred to4 ,it will mostly be best to 
do this by pruning1 stubbing1  and      
planting--always supposing that an      
effectual drainage has been             
secured--and here ,i would remark1 that 
whenever planting is done in a  wood1 it
 should be as well done as circumstances
 will possibly allow4  ,instead of the  
8nick0 system1 or any similar plan1 the 
woodman should  dig holes for the       
underwood in the ,autumn1 and plant in  
,february1 or  early in ,march4 ,for    
oak1 he should dig a larger hole1 in the
 ,autumn1  give it a ,summer fallow1 and
 put in a vigorous1 stiff plant1 the    
,autumn following1 or in the ,february  
next but one4 ,if some such plan  as    

this were pursued1 there is not much    
fear but the plants would  grow1 and in 
this way woods may be gradually brought 
into a prosperous  state1 instead of    
their being1 as they now are1 in the    
aggregate1 a  comparatively valueless   
property to their owners4    ,i may here
 illustrate my view by a reference to a 
particular case1  which came under my   
professional notice4 ,it was a wood held
 on lease  by a gentleman1 under an     
ecclesiastical body1 the lease being for
 a  certain number of years1 renewable  
upon the payment of a fine every  seven 
years4 ,some dissatisfaction was felt by
 the lessee at the  amount of the fines 
demanded1 and the lease was permitted to
 lapse1  at which time the intrinsic    
value of the stock1 whether of timber   
or underwood1 was literally nothing4    
,the oak was all gone1 as it  was quite 
natural that1 with a lease so framed1 it
 should be1 and  the underwood1 instead 
of being usefully and beneficially      
occupying  the ground1 of which it then 

had entire possession1 was not worth    
the trouble of cutting6 ,how different  
would have been the position  of the    
lessors in this instance1 ,i need not   
say1 if1 during the two  last cycles1   
when the oaks were becoming very thinly 
scattered1 the  underwood had been      
cherished1 as it most undoubtedly ought 
to have  been4 ,the neighbourhood was   
one where there was plenty of demand for
  the produce of woods2 the particular  
wood referred to1 would have been1  on  
every account1 as good a cover1 and all 
parties would have been  alike          
interested in the continuance of the    
lease4    ,but as ,i must now very      
shortly bring such of my 8,remarks0 as  
refer to  8,ancient ,woods10 to a close1
 it may be as well just to run over the 
whole subject in a recapitulary form1 so
 as to present it to the reader  in a   
sort of bird's-eye view4    ,i have1    
then1 endeavoured to show1 that the     
present state of the  ,ancient ,woods of
 this kingdom is very far from what it  

ought to be1  and fully proves that     
their owners have paid little attention 
to  them3 that they are almost valueless
 to them1 simply and only for  want of  
better management3 that they are capable
 of such a degree of  improvement as    
would insure from them a fair1          
reasonable return3 ,i have  endeavoured 
to show this by contrasting the plans of
 woodmen1 if they  can be said to have  
any1 with those which1 in my judgment1  
ought to be  pursued2 and ,i am not     
aware that ,i have1 upon any one point1 
exposed  the errors of their course1    
without suggesting that which ,i        
conceive  would be the right one4 ,it is
 quite impossible1 however1 to lay down 
in a book like this1 or in any other1   
specific rules or directions  which     
shall constitute a sufficient guide for 
the manager of woods1  out of the       
difficulties of a false position1 or    
enable him to reform  the errors of a   
vicious practice3 for1 first1 not one   
woodman in fifty  would be convinced1 by

 any process of reasoning1 that the     
present  state of woods is so bad as ,i 
have described it to be2 and if they    
would not admit the existence of the    
evil1 they would not be likely to       
perceive the value of any remedial      
measures that might be recommended4     
,next3 a difficulty would every where   
present itself1 if woods were           
improperly treated1 from the woodman    
feeling that the introduction of  any   
new plans would1 necessarily1 involve   
the condemnation of his own4  ,besides  
all this1 as ,i have remarked before1 so
 many things have to  be considered as  
to the state of a wood1 before a safe   
opinion could  be given as to the best  
course to be taken with it1 that nothing
 less  than a minute examination1       
affording the opportunity of duly       
weighing  all the circumstances of each 
particular case1 would justify any man  
in  suggesting a specific course4    ,in
 proof of this1 ,i would offer the      
example of a wood which ,i will  suppose

 to be of forty years standing1 and to  
have been started with  as many oak     
plants as would suffice to insure a     
sufficient number of  timber trees1     
possessing ample length of bole1 or     
stem4 ,upon the plan  of management     
which ,i have suggested1 there would be1
 at the second  cutting of the under    
wood1 a certain number of oaks to cut   
out also1  and from the stools of these1
 there would start young shoots1 which1 
if properly dealt with1 would1 with     
those which would spring from  every    
subsequent cutting1 furnish a succession
 of timber trees2 but if  no care were  
taken in nursing them1 the probability  
is1 that they  would be unfit for       
timber1 and that it would therefore be  
necessary1  occasionally1 to introduce a
 small number of maiden plants1 even as 
early as the expiration of the second   
cycle4          ,,chap4 ,,ii4           
,,plantations4      ,in order to afford 
some facility to the reader in perusing 
what ,i may  write1 ,i shall divide what

 ,i have to say into several distinct   
heads2  and1 first1 as to the           
,present ,modes of ,planting4    ,much  
may1 and probably ought1 to be said1 on 
the errors of bad  planters3 it is      
indeed a prolific1 as well as an        
important subject2  and if there were   
any solid ground on which to rest a hope
 that an  exposure of all the mistakes  
which are made in planting1 would lead  
to  the abandonment of such plans and   
practices as would be shown to be       
wrong1 it would be a duty worthy the    
exercise of talents of the highest      
order4 ,it does not1 however1 absolutely
 require the aid of brilliant  talent1  
or fervid eloquence1 to place these     
matters in their proper  light before   
those who are most concerned2 a plain   
reference to facts  will be quite       
sufficient for that purpose4    ,the    
case of an ,ancient ,wood in an         
unthrifty and unprofitable condition1   
does not stand out so prominently--it is
 not so glaringly discreditable  to its 

owner1 as is a ,plantation in the same  
state1 which has been  made by himself2 
for as to the former1 the fact that 8it 
always was  so10 is1 to a certain       
extent1 an excuse for bad management2   
and  in truth1 it will generally be     
found a very difficult affair1 as ,i    
have hinted before1 to establish a new  
system where the prejudice  of ages1 in 
favour of an old one1 will meet the     
person who may  attempt it1 at every    
turn2 but it is not so as to            
,plantations2 when1  therefore1 a       
gentleman decides to plant1 and has     
himself to do with  the work from the   
beginning1 both his interest1 and his   
duty1 point  out the necessity of his   
seeing that it be well done2 but the    
very  reverse of this1 is the average of
 the general practice1 as ,i shall      
presently show4 ,it would be quite      
foreign to my purpose1 to refer to  the 
minor shades of difference which exist  
in the practice of planters3  such      
difference indeed may be met with1      

between plans which are each  in        
themselves excellent2 ,i shall content  
myself1 therefore1 with  referring1 and 
that in general terms1 to the most      
glaring mistakes  which are committed1  
giving a few examples4    ,to an eye    
that can take in the whole1 it is       
lamentable to see the  effects of       
ignorance and neglect1 in the original  
formation1 as well as  in the subsequent
 treatment1 of ,plantations6 ,with many1
 it seems to be  expected that they will
 thrive and prosper1 no matter how they 
may be  put in1 whereas the very        
contrary is the fact4 ,with many        
planters there  is a vague1 indefinite  
notion--of course there is no           
calculation--that  when once they are   
planted1 trees will grow1 not only      
without labour or  culture1 but under   
such adverse circumstances as at once   
convince the  experienced planter of the
 utter impossibility of their doing so4 
,as ,i  have elsewhere said1 a young    
child1 a young animal1 and a young      

tree1 all require the greatest possible 
attention1 and the tenderest  treatment2
 and the blighting effects which must   
result1 and which do  result1 from the  
absence of early attention1 are to be   
seen quite as  strongly marked in the   
last1 as in the other two4    ,in       
numerous instances--and this ,i shall   
call mistake the first--the trees  are  
put in without any previous preparation 
of the soil4 ,it is not  possible1 in   
the ordinary run of cases1 to commit a  
greater error than  this4 ,it is1       
emphatically1 to build upon a bad       
foundation1 and it is  very rarely      
indeed that ,plantations1 so commenced1 
ever make any thing  out4 ,when ,i say  
this1 ,i do not mean to assert that they
 never become  trees of any size3       
unfortunately they do1 in some          
situations1 and men  are so             
ignorant--there is so little real       
scientific knowledge of the  subject to 
be met with anywhere--that the most     
erroneous conclusions are  drawn from   

this fact4 ,the question as to what a   
,plantation might have  done1 or what it
 would have done1 if it had been        
properly treated1  is never thought of6 
,no one ever dreams of instituting a    
comparison  between such a ,plantation  
as it is1 and as it ought to have been4 
,and yet this is the very first question
 which should be asked1 or  rather which
 should be anticipated4    ,but the     
majority of ,plantations1 which are     
commenced without any  preparation of   
the soil1 are complete failures1 as may 
be seen by any  one who chooses to take 
the trouble to examine for himself4     
,influenced by a most mistaken notion of
 economy1 many persons plant  their     
trees on land which is already fully    
occupied--it may be1 by  ling1 by       
bracken1 or by long grass1 or           
twitch--and in most cases of  this sort1
 the greater number die2 but there may  
probably remain a  few which sustain a  
feeble existence1 so as just to make a  
show of  a ,plantation1 and the owner   

seldom gives himself the trouble to     
attempt to ascertain why it is no       
better4 ,the method usually adopted1    
when planting is done in this way1 is1  
to dig small holes at fixed  distances1 
into which the plants are put by the    
workman in the best  manner that he can1
 and they are left to fight their way as
 best they  may4    ,mr4 ,withers1 of   
,holt1 in ,norfolk1 has ably1 and       
indignantly1 denounced  the hole-digging
 system1 and has shown1 most clearly1   
the advantage  of 8the highest degree of
 culture10 for raising timber1 whether  
as  a pecuniary question1 or where it is
 wanted for merely ornamental  purposes4
 ,it is true that an opinion at variance
 with his1 has been  given by some1 but 
every practical man will1 at once1      
perceive where  the truth lies2 nor will
 he be at any loss1 whether1 in the     
preparation  of a field for planting1 to
 follow the directions of ,sir ,henry   
,steuart1  or those of ,mr4 ,withers4   
,it was the practice of the latter      

gentleman1 to trench his ground  from   
8fourteen to eighteen inches deep10 and 
on poor land1 to 8put  on as much manure
 as if turnips were intended to be      
sown10 and to  hoe and keep clean the   
land1 for seven years after planting4   
,the  results were1 extraordinary       
rapidity of growth1 and a consequent    
early  and ample return upon the capital
 invested1 in addition to the full      
accomplishment of an object1 which is1  
of course1 ardently desired by  every   
planter3 viz43 the pleasure of seeing   
rapidly rise up before him1  a healthy  
and most promising race of trees4       
,the second mistake which ,i shall      
notice is a very common one2 and is     
committed by those who prepare the land 
well1 but1 by a bad selection  of       
plants1 either as to age1 or kind1 or   
both1 render success  impossible4 ,the  
error as to age consists1 most          
frequently1 in their  being too old3    
that as to the kind1 in not choosing    
such as are  adapted to the nature of   

the soil4    ,a third class of planters 
may be met with1 who1 to a certain      
extent1  avoid all the mistakes         
previously referred to1 but who commit  
the  unaccountable blunder of throwing  
the various kinds promiscuously         
together1 without any regard to         
congeniality as to the plants2 and  in  
this case1 the trees that are really    
valuable are overtopped1 and  mastered  
by a set of worthless trash1 which1 when
 full grown1 are  hardly worth the      
trouble of cutting down4 ,when a        
,plantation is made  in this barbarous  
manner1 and left in this state for      
twenty years1 or  even less1 no         
subsequent efforts1 however sound the   
judgment which is  exercised may be1 can
 wholly repair the mischief which is    
done4 ,by  this mistake1 an immense loss
 of property accrues to the proprietor1 
and the worst of all is1 that the trite 
consolation is not left  him1 that what 
is 8his loss1 is another's gain10 for   
here nobody is  benefitted2 while to    

himself there is superadded the         
mortification of a  loss of time1 8which
 no man can restore40    ,that the      
strong language which ,i have here      
employed is fully justified1  will at   
once be admitted by every reflecting    
person1 who has any  acquaintance with  
these matters2 for it will appear at the
 outset1 that  if a slow-growing tree is
 planted close to one which will grow   
half as  fast again1 and if the slow    
grower is the tree intended for timber1 
the latter must inevitably be so much   
damaged as to affect its health  for    
ever1 if something be not done to       
relieve it4    ,i shall not1 in this    
place1 8remark0 more particularly on    
this point1  than to say1 that ,i have  
often seen the oak in this relative     
position1  with the alder1 the birch1   
the poplar1 the larch1 and other trees4 
,to imagine that a comparatively        
slow-growing tree can be placed in  near
 contiguity with another whose rate of  
progress is much quicker1  without      

receiving injury1 is to manifest a want 
of knowledge of the  habits of trees1   
which may be excused in an amateur      
planter1 but which  cannot be overlooked
 in a practical man1 who is well paid   
for his  services4    ,a fourth error   
which is committed1 is one upon which ,i
 have slightly  touched already1 and    
refers to the question of adaptation of 
the kind  of tree planted1 first1 to the
 nature of the soil planted upon1 and   
next1 if the object of the planter be   
profit1 to the local demand4    ,most   
serious mistakes have been committed    
upon both these points1 even  by men    
whose writings have procured them a     
niche in the ,temple of ,fame4  ,under  
this head a few cases will now be       
referred to4    ,it is impossible1 at   
this distance of time1 to fix the exact 
amount  of blame1 or responsibility1    
which of right attaches itself to the   
name of ,pontey1 for instance1 who      
planted an immense tract of land  near  
,lincoln1 belonging to that splendid    

charity1 ,christ's ,hospital3           
tradition1 which1 however1 may do him   
injustice1 accuses him of having        
contracted to plant with ,larch and     
,oak1 and having1 on some pretence or   
other1 substituted ,scotch ,fir4        
,whatever was the precise amount of     
responsibility attaching to him1  ,i    
know not2 he might be following out the 
letter of his instructions1  for ought  
that ,i can tell1 but it is quite       
certain that1 even with the  then       
imperfect knowledge which was possessed 
of the value of larch1  a very great    
mistake was committed1 in planting      
nearly a thousand  acres of land1 which 
was well adapted both for oak and larch1
 with  profitless rubbish like that     
which is now seen upon it4 ,a work of   
that  magnitude ought not to have been  
intrusted to any one who1 either  from  
mercenary motives1 or from limited      
views1 was capable of falling  into such
 a gross error1 as to the interests of  
his employers4 ,it is  no exaggeration  

to say1 that if the ,skellingthorpe     
,plantation had  been planted1 as it    
ought to have been1 with oak and larch1 
together  with a few spruce firs1 and if
 ,pontey had left suitable instructions 
with those who had to take care of it1  
after his superintendence had  ceased1  
it would now have been1 at the most     
moderate computation1  fifteen hundred  
per cent4 more valuable than it is6     
,if it were private property1 ,i should 
not presume to add what ,i now  feel    
myself at perfect liberty to do1 with   
reference to its present  condition1 and
 the future prospect respecting it4     
,it is at present1 almost universally1 a
 ,scotch ,fir ,plantation3 these  are of
 a most miserable size1 compared with   
what they might have been1  under good  
management1 and they are withal very    
coarse4 ,there may be  seen amongst     
them1 just ,larches enough to perpetuate
 the folly of the  original planter2 and
 to excite1 at his periodical sales1 the
 keen  regret of the present ,steward1  

that he has not more of them to sell4   
,there are also a few oaks1 of such     
quality as fully to prove that they     
would have thriven well--had they been  
planted4 ,further3 the ,scotch  firs are
 so thick1 and they are feathered down  
so low1 that the  ,plantation is not    
healthy4 ,it is true that1 under the    
present much  improved management1 an   
attempt is being made to remedy this    
evil1  and it is quite clear1 that the  
condition of the trees will gradually   
be bettered1 but the misfortune is--and 
here ,i come to speak of the  prospects 
of the ,plantation--that they are not   
worth culture4 ,i have  no hesitation in
 stating this to be my deliberate       
opinion4 ,the timber1  if timber it can 
be called1 is worth almost nothing now1 
and1 in such  a locality1 ,i can see no 
probability of its ever realizing1 so as
 to  justify those in whose care it is  
placed1 in continuing it as it is4  ,the
 plain and obvious course of the        
managers of this fine estate1 then1  is 

to stub up the ,scotch fir1 and replant 
the land with oak and larch4    ,in     
further proof of the propriety of this  
opinion1 ,i would remark that1  in this 
locality1 both oak and larch fetch very 
high prices1 and  there are probable    
grounds for expecting that they always  
will do so2  while1 if the present race 
of ,scotch firs should stand as long    
again as  they have already stood1 they 
will make comparatively little4    ,it  
is not too much to say1 that if this    
,plantation were the property of  a     
private gentleman1 the ,scotch firs     
would be extirpated as speedily  as     
possible1 and a systematic plan1        
providing that a certain number  of     
acres should be stubbed and re-planted  
every year1 would at once  be laid down2
 but public bodies are not so easily    
moved1 and it is  therefore to be       
feared1 that1 in this case1 the public  
will not1 for  some time to come1 derive
 that benefit from the property1 which  
would  certainly be the result of proper

 management4    ,the whole might be     
re-stocked with suitable kinds of trees1
 without  any considerable outlay to the
 hospital1 if arrangements were made    
with a party capable of carrying out    
some such comprehensive plan as  the    
following2 viz43 ,an agreement with a   
responsible person1 carefully  worded1  
providing that he should stub1 or grub  
up1 a stipulated number  of acres at the
 commencement of a sort of lease1 taking
 the stuff1  either in part payment1 or 
wholly1 if it were sufficient3 and that 
he should1 on such terms as could be    
agreed upon1 continue to grub up1  and  
plant1 a specified number of acres every
 succeeding year4    ,in twelve years1  
if the work were well done1 there would 
be some  return from the thinnings of   
the piece first planted2 and the rate   
of return and profit1 would1 from that  
time1 continue to increase  every year1 
until an amount would be realized which 
would much more  than equal the largest 
expectations of the ,governors4    ,i   

shall only mention one case more1 as to 
the want of adaptation of  the kind of  
tree to the soil1 and to the local      
demand1 and that is a  wood belonging to
 the ,right ,honourable ,lord           
,middleton1 at ,stapleford1  near       
,newark1 and which1 some years ago1     
consisted almost entirely of  ,scotch   
fir4 ,it is now of an age and size that 
enables me to cite it in  proof of the  
opinion which ,i have given1 relative to
 the prospect  for the ,skellingthorpe  
,plantation4 ,the timber has arrived at 
a good  marketable size1 and is sold at 
as high a rate as there is any reason   
to suppose would be made of the         
,skellingthorpe ,scotch1 when it shall  
have reached to the same size4 ,that    
price is apparently moderate1  but it is
 so inferior in quality1 or1 perhaps1 it
 is more correct to  say1 such a bad    
opinion is formed of it1 by most people1
 that when it  is converted into boards 
or scantling1 the price it fetches is so
 low  as to hold out little inducement  

to ,timber merchants to purchase it4    
,and as to the grower1 ,i am persuaded  
that1 if simple interest upon the       
original investment were to be          
calculated1 up to the time when the wood
  first began to clear its own expences1
 and added to the first cost1  it would 
not be found that there is much surplus 
over the necessary  expences of         
management4 ,at all events it would be  
seen there1 as well  as at              
,skellingthorpe1 from the little ,larch 
and ,oak which they have  had to sell1  
that the returns are comparatively small
 to what they  would have been1 if      
,larch had first been planted along with
 ,oak4 ,this  large ,plantation will1 in
 the course of a few years1 under the   
present  enlightened and skilful        
management1 to a great extent1 be       
cleared of  the ,scotch firs2 in place  
of which1 the noble proprietor will have
 a  race of fine oaks1 thus proving1 to 
actual demonstration1 the great  mistake
 which was originally committed1 in     

occupying the land with a  class of     
trees which1 when they have arrived at  
maturity1 are of  comparatively little  
value4    ,i pass on to remark upon a   
fifth error4 ,one gentleman will1 from  
motives of economy1 stick in the plants 
with as little labour as  possible3     
another will aim at the same result1 by 
putting in fewer1  or smaller plants    
than he ought to do4 ,both these1 and   
indeed all the  parties1 who are        
influenced by the same narrow and       
shortsighted views1  greatly err3 these 
are not the cheapest1 but the most      
expensive1  as well as the worst        
adapted1 modes of planting4 ,to insure a
 healthy  and vigorous commencement to a
 ,plantation1 if that is followed up  by
 suitable treatment afterwards1 is to   
secure both rapid progress1  and early  
maturity1 and by necessary consequence1 
the largest possible  amount of         
pecuniary return4    ,lastly1 as to     
modes of planting1 and without ranging  
either party among  those who are       

clearly and decidedly mistaken in their 
views1 one  class of persons will plant 
thickly1 and another class will plant   
thinly1 from various motives1 but both  
without paying due regard to  the       
capabilities1 and adaptation of the     
soil1 and1 as is very natural1  in the  
absence of all calculation1 both are    
frequently subjected to the  same       
result1--either a partial or complete   
failure of their expectations4    ,it is
 neither my purpose1 nor is it in my    
power1 to decide1 upon  paper1 what is  
the best average distance at which the  
trees of a young  ,plantation should be 
placed from each other4 ,many questions 
ought to be  previously asked1 as many  
very important considerations will      
present  themselves to the mind of a    
practical man1 before he will decide4   
,in the average of cases1 where planting
 for profit is the object1 the  question
 is not one of much practical           
difficulty2 but in many others1  the    
primary purpose1 or the ultimate aim1 of

 the planter--the local  market--the    
cost of plants1 c4 will claim very      
special attention4    ,when the object  
is to beautify the ,landscape1 or to    
produce effect in  the immediate        
vicinity of a ,mansion1 it will be      
necessary to set aside  ordinary rules1 
and to depart from some of the          
recognized principles  which ought      
always to govern1 in planting for       
profit4 ,but even here1  nothing should 
be done1 nothing should be attempted1   
which is not  in strict consistence with
 those general laws which the principles
  of vegetable physiology impose1 alike 
on a ,gentleman who removes a  large    
tree upon the plan recommended by ,sir  
,henry ,steuart1 and on the  practical  
,planter1 who is professionally employed
 to plant a large  tract of country4    
,it is no part of my business to remark 
upon the merits of the  respective plans
 which have been tried by different     
persons1 for  enriching the scenery of a
 ,park2 but ,i have no difficulty in    

saying  that1 where it is well          
understood and properly carried out1 the
  combination of ,sir ,henry's plan1    
with the judicious arrangement of  small
 ,plantations2 putting into a well      
prepared soil1 good1 stout1             
well-rooted1 and vigorous plants1 at a  
considerable distance1 will  best effect
 that object4 ,and as ,i have referred  
to ,sir ,henry ,steuart's  method of    
removing large trees1 it will not be out
 of place here to  observe1 that the    
abuse of that plan has very frequently  
brought  it into disrepute1 and given   
birth to the conclusion1 that it was    
not adapted to the end proposed3 and    
thus blame has fallen on the  ingenious1
 skilful1 and scientific ,baronet1      
instead of its resting  on the heads of 
those whose 8mismanagement0 had actually
 invited the  failures which they were  
doomed to suffer4    ,those who have    
most carefully attended to ,sir ,henry's
 instructions in  removing large        
subjects1 will have been most           

successful2 and while they  will be the 
first to admit that the plan is one of  
very considerable  difficulty1 and      
requiring the greatest possible amount  
of attention2  they will be the most    
powerful and decided witnesses in its   
favour1 for  the purposes for which it  
is here recommended4    ,but when       
,plantations on a large scale are       
desired1 and when the planter  considers
 his posterity more than himself1 there 
can be no doubt at  all1 that1 on       
certain qualities of soil1 tolerably    
thick planting  is best4 ,and if it be  
desired to have a race of fine noble    
,oaks1 they  must be put in very thick1 
and the planter must not expect1 during 
a  life of average duration1 any profit 
at all2 for1 in order to secure  his    
object1 he must1 first1 prepare the     
ground well3 and next1 he  must either  
sow acorns1 or he must put in an immense
 number of  plants--and1 in either case1
 he will incur a heavy outlay4 ,he must1
 for  the first seven years1 keep the   

ground clean1 and he must plant along   
with the ,oak1 a selection of those     
kinds of trees1 as nurses1 which  are   
best adapted to the purpose1 and not    
those which might probably1 at  the     
earliest period1 find their way into the
 local market1 and make  the best price 
when there2 although these points should
 not be left out  of consideration4     
,but now1 the question as to planting1  
or sowing1 or1 if the former be         
preferred1 that of the distance of the  
plants1 being settled1 the next  which  
presents itself is this3 what kinds     
shall be planted as the      ,nurses for
 the ,oak4    ,here again1 a good deal  
will depend upon the object of the      
planter1 the  nature of the soil1 and   
the exact arrangements which are made at
 the  time of planting2 for it might be 
quite proper to plant a species of      
,tree in one place1 while1 owing to a   
difference in the staple or the         
condition of the soil1 it would be just 
the reverse in another4    ,the remarks 

which ,i shall have to make on this     
subject have1 in some  degree1 been     
anticipated by the observations which ,i
 have already  made1 respecting the     
,skellingthorpe ,plantation1 but a more 
particular  reference to a few          
well-known kinds1 may not be amiss4     
,i begin with the ,larch1 which1 from   
its great value to ,farmers and  others1
 is fairly entitled to precedence4      
,the ,larch is found1 in greater or     
smaller proportions1 in most places     
where ,plantations are made2 and it is  
entirely the planter's fault1 if  he be 
not well acquainted with its character1 
as a nurse for ,oak4 ,i say  this1      
because it has been so extensively      
tested1 and its habits are so  well     
known1 that no one1 having the slightest
 wish to become acquainted  with it1 can
 have failed for want of opportunity4   
,i have very often seen the ,larch where
 it has proved an exceedingly bad       
nurse2 where1 in fact1 instead of       
nursing the ,oaks1 it has destroyed     

them3 but this has1 of course1 arisen   
from 8mismanagement10 and might  have   
been avoided4 ,when good1 stiff1 healthy
 ,oak ,plants are put in  with ,larch   
only1 or but with very few of any other 
sort1 the ,larch  ought not1 in the     
first place1 to be put too near--the    
exact distance  can only be determined  
relatively to that of the               
,oaks--secondly3 an  advantage should be
 given to the ,oaks1 if possible1 at the
 start2  either by assigning them a     
portion of the soil from the land       
intended  for the ,larch1 or in some    
other way2 after which1 if the latter   
are  constantly watched1 they will      
approve themselves very suitable and    
valuable nurses2 but if they are        
allowed1 as they too generally are1  to 
take the lead of the ,oak1 they will    
plentifully avail themselves of  the    
licence1 to the serious and1 perhaps1   
irreparable injury of that  plant4      
,for large ,plantations1 intended for   
profit1 it may be questioned  whether1  

in the first instance1 any thing else   
than ,oak and ,larch  should be planted1
 and the distance must be decided after 
due  consideration is given to the      
quality and condition of the land4      
,if1 however1 a disposition is felt to  
plant other kinds1 as nurses1  there can
 be no objection1 provided that their   
companionship is made  fully to square  
with the well-being of the trees        
intended for timber4    ,but where it is
 intended to introduce nothing that     
shall not act as a  good nurse for the  
,oak1 exception must certainly be taken 
to the ,alder1  the ,poplars1 the       
,sycamore1 the ,horse ,chesnut1 the     
,birch1 and the ,scotch  ,fir1 c4 ,not  
one of these discovers any congeniality 
for the ,oak1 nor  any fitness for the  
office of nursing it2 and it does really
 appear to  my mind1 as most            
unaccountably strange1 that trees of all
 sorts should1  without forethought1 or 
calculation--and most particularly1 that
 no  reference should be made to their  

suitability or adaptation for the       
circumstances in which they are to be   
placed--be planted at a greater  cost   
than would have sufficed to procure an  
ample number of the right  sort4        
,upon a suitable soil1 the ,spruce ,fir 
has always appeared to me1 to  be       
decidedly and incomparably the best     
nurse of the ,oak4 ,i have1 for         
instance1 often seen1 on a clay soil1 a 
,spruce ,fir1 and an ,oak of            
twenty-five years growth1 flourishing   
admirably1 in close proximity  with each
 other--even within a foot and a half4  
,i do not think that this  could be said
 of any other tree than the ,spruce     
,fir2 but besides this1  there is almost
 always a very peculiar healthiness     
about the ,oaks1  where the ,spruce has 
been planted and cherished as the       
principal nurse4  ,there seems to be the
 best possible understanding between    
them--no  struggling for                
pre-eminence--no blighting influence    
exercised by the one  over the other4   

,but the ,spruce ,fir is not found to   
flourish so well on  some soils as on   
others3 it will therefore1 mostly1 be   
advisable to  unite with it1 for a      
number of years1 the ,larch1 which may  
be so  placed as to be all weeded out   
during the course of thinning1 which    
ought to commence in a few years after  
planting1 and go on until there  remains
 nothing but ,oak in possession of the  
ground4    ,in concluding my remarks on 
,planting1 ,i cannot help referring to  
the  specimens of sowing and thick      
planting1 which may be seen on the      
extensive estate of the ,duke of        
,portland1 at ,welbeck1 and in that     
neighbourhood4 ,it has always been ,his 
,grace's practice1 either to sow        
,acorns1 or to plant ,oaks1 in alternate
 beds1 having ,larch between4 ,if  the  
,oaks were planted1 they were put in    
very thickly2 and although  their       
progress was necessarily slower than it 
would have been1 if they  had been      
allowed more room1 it cannot be doubted 

that ,his ,grace had a  great advantage 
in the almost unlimited choice which it 
gave him1 of  trees of perfect form1 for
 the ultimate crop of timber4    ,the   
system of thick planting has been fully 
carried out3 having  prepared the ground
 well1 ,his ,grace appears to have never
 lost sight1  for an instant1 of the    
young trees that he had undertaken to   
rear3  there has been no mistaken       
practice--no niggardly economy--no      
ruinous  neglect1 rendering all his     
previous care abortive1 and sacrificing 
his  large outlay at the commencement4  
,when the ,plantations have required    
attention1 they have evidently had it4  
,the admirer of fine timber will see1 in
 the ,duke's ,plantations and  grounds1 
some of the most perfectly formed trees 
that can be conceived  of1 and that not 
on a small scale1 but to an extent as   
comprehensive as  that truly noble      
,duke's genius1 of whom it may probably 
be said that  he unites1 in his mind and
 person1 as many of those qualities     

which  constitute true ,nobility1 as any
 ,gentleman of his day4    ,it is not in
 the power of my feeble pen to show the 
immense amount  of good which has       
accrued to the immediate neighbourhood1 
from the  employment of the poor in the 
locality1 in carrying on1 and in        
completing1 those splendid improvements 
which ,his ,grace has originated1  and  
which have caused the literal desert to 
8blossom as the rose03 much  less can ,i
 describe the area of the vast circle1  
within which the most  beneficial       
effects have been felt1 from the        
influence of the noble  ,duke's example1
 while perfecting1 as he has done1 his  
various plans for  the improvement of   
his fine estate4    ,in the ,welbeck    
,plantations will be found1 as ,i have  
said1 a class  of trees1 most perfectly 
suited to the situations where they     
stand1  and giving the surest promise of
 future superiority3 but what1 let  me  
ask1 would have been the quality of the 
,oaks1 if the noble ,duke  had jumbled  

together an incongruous admixture of    
various sorts1 as  has been recommended 
by various writers of eminence1 even in 
our own  day8 ,i am not disposed to     
enter into a controversy with any of    
those  who have recorded their opinions 
in their writings1 otherwise ,i might   
have plenty of work on my hands3 it will
 be quite as much as ought  to be       
expected from me1 if ,i defend my own3  
but ,i would just quote a  single       
paragraph from an interesting and       
useful1 but1 on some points1  incorrect 
volume1 published by 8,the ,society for 
the diffusion of  ,useful ,knowledge40  
,it is entitled 8,useful and ,ornamental
 ,planting40  ,the passage to which ,i  
refer1 will be found in the #dcrd page1 
and runs  thus3    8,simple ,plantations
 consist of one or two species of trees 
only2  mixed ,plantations of many       
different species4 ,the latter1 on      
suitable  soils1 are the most           
profitable3 they afford an earlier1 more
 permanent1  and a larger return for    

,capital than simple ,plantations40     
,in a book where there is so much to    
commend1 where so many valuable         
practical directions are given1 it      
cannot but excite regret1 to meet  with 
a paragraph so vague and unsatisfactory 
as the above2 for ,i cannot  but remark1
 that if any planter should adopt the   
suggestion which is  thrown out1 it will
 end in disappointment and loss4 ,it    
will1 in my  judgment1 generally be best
 for the planter to select such trees   
for  nurses as are most congenial1 and  
best adapted to the local market2 and   
surely these will not be the ,birch1 the
 ,beech1 the ,alder1 or the ,scotch     
,fir2 none of which are ever found to   
answer the purpose of nursing  the more 
valuable timber trees1 or of securing a 
fair return for the  investment of      
capital4    ,it is true that the opinion
 which ,i have quoted1 is afterwards    
qualified by the remark1 that certain   
8circumstances connected with the       
growth of the various species of forest 

trees1 effectually control  the planter 
in his modes of arrangement1 c40 but    
even with this  limitation1 the planter 
is liable to be misled1 for he is not   
taught to  set a higher value upon the  
,larch1 which may in almost every       
locality  be planted with a much better 
chance of profit1 than the other kinds  
with which it is ranked1 and which ought
 therefore1 if profit be the  object1   
for that reason alone1 to be preferred4 
,in any thing else but planting1 the    
mischief of such a mistake1  as         
producing that which was worthless when 
produced1 would1 in a  short time1 have 
cured itself2 but so little of science1 
or even of  common calculation1 have    
been brought to bear upon the practice  
of  ,arboriculture1 that1               
notwithstanding the evidence which is   
every where  to be met with1 of serious 
8loss and disappointment10 for want of  
calculation1 these matters go on very   
much as they 8always have done40        
,finally1 as to planting1 it must1 in   

every case1 be perfectly clear  to one  
who is competent to judge1 that1 whether
 the object be profit  merely1 or the   
embellishment of the landscape1 the land
 ought to be as  well prepared as       
circumstances will permit1 and that such
 species of  trees should be preferred1 
as are best adapted to the specific     
object  of the planter4    ,the distance
 at which the plants shall be put in1 is
 more a matter of  opinion than some    
planters would be inclined to admit4    
,for myself1 ,i am  disposed to think1  
that some advantages are lost to a      
,plantation1 under  certain combinations
 of soil and circumstances1 when it is  
planted  thickly1 but ,i would not      
either rate the loss too highly1 or     
express  my opinion1 with unseemly      
positiveness3 my notion is1 that the    
supposed  advantages of planting thickly
 may generally be supplied by early1    
judicious pruning1 and that the progress
 of the ,plantation would be            
facilitated thereby3 that1 in fact1 a   

,plantation of trees at a distance  of  
three feet1 being properly assorted1    
having had a good start1  and suitable  
treatment in all respects afterwards1   
would reach any  given point as to size1
 and quality1 in less time than would   
another  ,plantation1 upon the same     
soil1 if the method of either sowing    
acorns1  c41 or planting very thickly1  
were adopted4 ,in saying this1 ,i by no 
means wish to condemn the practice of   
thick planting2 to do this1 in  the face
 of proofs of success1 such as ,i have  
described as existing  in this country1 
would be an absurdity of which ,i would 
not willingly  be guilty2 but at the    
same time1 ,i would not hesitate to     
range myself  among those who prefer1   
under ordinary circumstances1 to plant  
at  a moderate distance1 and rely upon  
early pruning1 for securing the  object 
which the close planter has in view1    
viz41 length of bole1 or  stem1 and     
clearness of grain4    ,i come now to   
remark upon the      ,present mode of   

managing ,plantations after they are    
made4    ,abiding still1 most strictly1 
by the rule laid down for myself1 to    
deal with every part of my subject      
practically1 ,i proceed to observe1     
that the instances where ,plantations   
are treated with due regard to  the     
principles of ,arboricultural science1  
are not the rule1 but the  exceptions to
 the rule1 as every scientific planter1 
who has looked  round him1 must know4   
,instead of the trees intended for      
timber being nursed with the  tenderest 
care from their infancy--instead of     
their being treated  according to the   
known and fixed laws which regulate1 and
 effectually  control1 the economy of   
vegetable life1 whether men attend to   
them  or not--they too frequently meet  
with treatment which is in direct       
opposition to those laws4 ,i shall show 
this as clearly1 and as plainly1  as ,i 
can4    ,when a gentleman has decided to
 plant1 when he has fixed upon the right
  mode of doing it1 and has finished it 

in a proper manner2 so far he  has done 
all that could be expected from him2 but
 if1 after this1 he  leaves his         
,plantation to itself for five1 ten1 or 
fifteen years1 he  transgresses the laws
 to which ,i have referred2 and his     
error is one of  omission4    ,again3   
were the same gentleman1 after the lapse
 of ten years1 or even  less1 to enter  
his ,plantation1 and cut and thin very  
freely1 he would  violate those laws by 
an error of commission1 and in this     
case1 as  well as the other1 the        
,plantation would very materially       
suffer4    ,a ,plantation which should  
be subjected1 at so early a stage of its
  existence as ten or fifteen years1 to 
the ordeal of both these classes  of    
errors1 could have but little chance of 
succeeding3 it could not be  expected to
 make any more than very slow progress  
after such treatment  as this3 and yet  
this is exactly the way in which many   
,plantations are  managed1 at all stages
 of their growth4 ,i have recently met  

with  a splendid ,larch ,plantation1    
which has never been thinned1 from the  
first1 except by 8fits and starts02 of  
which injudicious treatment1 ,i  could  
see very serious 8outward and visible   
signs40 ,although it is upon            
exceedingly weak and poor land1 it would
 have produced1 if it had been  properly
 managed1 a fine class of ,larches1     
which would have yielded  to the        
proprietor an abundant return upon his  
outlay4 ,if any one doubt  this1 let him
 look around and see if he cannot find a
 ,plantation of  forty or fifty years   
growth1 which is crowded with trees--say
 of ,larch  only--and he will1 upon     
examination1 perceive that there are two
 or  three distinct classes of trees    
still standing1 all of which ought1     
long before1 to have been taken out2 and
 that there is but one class  of        
,larches1 probably1 which should be     
standing4 ,the other two classes  which 
,i have just mentioned1 would be found1 
if the fact could be  clearly come at1  

very nearly of the same size as they had
 been many  years before2 inasmuch as   
they could not possibly make any wood1  
being  themselves overtopped by their   
more thriving and vigorous neighbours4  
,it is perfectly obvious too1 that the  
injury arising to the ,plantation  would
 not stop here4 ,so long as             
under-strappers were allowed to remain1 
they would1 to a certain extent1 have   
the effect of preventing the  admission 
of light and air into the ,plantation1  
which would materially  affect the      
health and the progress of the standard 
trees4    ,the errors of omission are   
both serious and numerous3 those of     
commission1 great though they be1 are   
not equally so4 ,the former  are        
generally first in the order of time1   
for where one ,plantation is  injured   
from too early thinning1 there are ten  
that suffer for the  want of it2 and    
this early neglect affects the vitality 
and prosperity  of a ,plantation much   
more than might be supposed4 ,omitting  

to do what  ought to be done will1      
however1 be very prejudicial to the     
health of  ,plantations at any stage of 
their existence1 and it is quite well   
known  to the experienced ,forester1    
that they ought ever to be watched with 
most tender care1 until the planter is  
fully satisfied that he has  completed  
the nursing and training of a sufficient
 number of standard  trees1 to furnish  
the ultimate crop4    ,but errors of    
omission sometimes admit of remedy2     
whereas1 if injury is  committed by     
excessive thinning1 or by cutting down  
trees which ought  to have remained1 it 
is often difficult1 and sometimes       
impossible1  to repair the mischief that
 is done4 ,both the errors to which ,i  
have  alluded1 must be avoided by the   
planter who would desire to have a      
healthy and continuously thriving       
,plantation4    ,having considered well 
the following points1 viz41 the         
preparation of  his land--the selection 
of the species of trees that he will    

plant--their  size and quality--and the 
distance at which they shall stand from 
each  other1 he must remember that1 from
 the very first1 they will not only     
require1 but they will well pay for1 his
 closest attention4 ,during  the first  
seven years1 he may1 probably1 have     
little else to do at  them than to keep 
the land clean2 but this will1 in some  
degree1  depend upon the distance which 
he has chosen for them2 and on the kind 
which he intends for the final crop of  
timber4 ,but whatever they may          
be--whether the ,oak alone1 or along    
with some other species1 the trees      
intended for timber will demand the     
peculiar1 the unremitted1 attention  of 
the planter3 his object must ever be to 
deal with all the rest1 with  distinct1 
direct1 and positive reference to the   
careful nursing of  those3 and it must  
always be borne in mind1 that whatever  
be the fate  of the nurses1 those which 
,i will again distinguish from the rest1
  by calling them the standard trees1   

must1 if possible1 be kept in  vigorous 
health4 ,this can only be done1         
concurrently with the ultimate  object  
of securing great length of bole1 by    
pruning of some sort or  other4 ,if the 
trees are so planted as to insure       
natural pruning1  no other1 except of   
the nurses1 will be required1 but the   
first  operation will be thinning2 which
 should be done with great care and     
judgment4 ,where it is not so done1 it  
is more than probable that trees  will  
be taken which should have been left1   
and the contrary4 ,as it  respects the  
,oak1 the principal point to be aimed at
 is1 to spare all  those1 as the        
thinning goes on1 that have the best    
defined heads4 ,this  will be an easy   
matter with an experienced and          
well-taught planter1  or woodman1 and   
the difficulty1 if any there be1 will be
 less at each  succeeding thinning1 as  
the heads of the trees develope         
themselves4    ,but when trees are not  
planted so thickly as to insure length  

of  bole by natural pruning1 they must  
be pruned with the knife and the        
bill-hook1 and the earlier the operation
 is begun1 the better4    ,i doubt not  
but some of my readers will stamp this  
advice with  their unqualified          
disapprobation4 ,it may be very good and
 correct  notwithstanding4 ,my own      
experience1 as well as that of many     
others whom  ,i have consulted1         
convinces me that the notion1 which so  
extensively  prevails1 as to the        
injurious effects of pruning1 is        
decidedly  incorrect4 ,it may have had  
its origin in the evidence of injury to 
timber1 which has been furnished by     
injudicious pruning2 and thus  what     
would have else been universally seen to
 be necessary1 has come  to be almost   
universally condemned3 but this is a    
common error1 and has  been too often   
shown1 to render it necessary for me to 
expose it here4  ,some very valuable    
observations on pruning have been       
published by ,mr4  ,main1 in his        

excellent little work1 entitled 8,the   
,forest ,planter and  ,pruner's         
,assistant40 ,at page #ec1 the following
 paragraph occurs3 8,but  the only part 
of a woodman's duty which does not      
appear to be well  defined1 or at least 
not generally agreed upon by practical  
men1 is  relative to the necessity of   
carefully pruning and managing the trees
  during the first fifteen or twenty    
years of their growth40    ,i quote the 
last member of the above with entire    
approbation3 that is1  so far as the    
necessity for pruning is recognized in  
it3 and ,i further  think1 that the     
reasons which are given by ,mr4 ,main   
for pruning1 and  the manner in which he
 has illustrated his principle--the     
clear and  satisfactory way in which he 
has treated the whole subject--entitle  
him  to the confidence1 and to the      
thanks1 of all who are interested in the
  growth of trees4 ,but ,i am very far  
indeed from agreeing with him in the    
opinion so adventurously given1 that    

8the best methods of preparing  the     
ground for the reception of the         
plants--manner of transplanting--the    
soils most suitable for each            
species--are all thoroughly and         
universally understood40 ,my belief is1 
on the contrary1 that  comparatively few
 planters1 or woodmen1 do 8thoroughly0  
understand  these matters4 ,if they did1
 their practice would not be so         
extensively  wrong as it is4 ,if it were
 so1 why have planters so widely        
differed8  ,why is there seen such      
discrepancy in their modes of           
management8  ,but what does ,mr4 ,main  
wish his readers to understand by the   
term  8practical men08 ,if he refer to  
those who have the oversight and the    
direction of the practical operations   
included in the 8preparation of  the    
soil for the reception of the           
plants--manner of transplanting--the    
soils most suitable for each species1   
c402 and if he wish to convey  the idea 
that1 by this class of persons1 these   

points are 8thoroughly  and universally 
understood10 ,i hold him to be wholly   
and widely wrong3  but if he only mean  
that scientific men1 who have well      
studied  the subject1 and who have      
written upon it1 and really intelligent 
woodmen1 are agreed as to the best      
practice1 ,i do not greatly differ  from
 him2 nor do ,i conceive that the main  
point1 at which ,i have aimed  in this  
publication1 will be at all affected by 
any concession which  ,i make to this   
effect3 my principal object has been1   
and will be1 to  show that1 however     
clearly and strongly may have been      
shown1 the  propriety of acting in      
conformity with the principles of       
science1  in the original formation of  
,woods and ,plantations1 in the planting
  of ,hedge-row ,timber1 and in the     
general management of them all1 the     
practice of 8practical men10 has been1  
8except as before excepted10  so bad1   
that the most charitable conclusion     
which can be drawn is1 that  they       

8thoroughly0 misunderstand almost every 
part of the subject6  ,it seems rather  
to me1 that instead of there being only 
one point in  their practice on which   
they need enlightenment1 that there is  
but  one on which they may be said to   
agree1 and that is in a thorough        
contempt for all rules1 all principles1 
all science6 in other words1  that this 
class of persons has displayed an amount
 of ignorance1  7which1 however1 has    
been more their misfortune than their   
fault17  and the want of a proper       
apprehension of the nature and extent of
 their  obligations1 and duties1 which  
has no parallel in the management of    
any other description of property4      
,but this is a digression3 ,i pass on1  
therefore1 to the question of  pruning1 
on which ,i would again commend to the  
notice of my readers1  the valuable     
remarks of ,mr4 ,main1 as well as some  
excellent practical  observations from  
the pen of that veteran in the service1 
,francis  ,blakie1 ,esq41 late ,steward 

to the ,earl of ,leicester1 from whose  
small pamphlet1 entitled 8,a ,treatise  
on the ,management of ,hedges and       
,hedge-row ,timber10 the most useful    
information may be gathered4    ,mr4    
,main's is an able and lucid examination
 of the question of pruning1  and1 to my
 thinking1 most fully and satisfactorily
 settles it4 ,he shows  that when       
pruning is properly done1 and when it is
 commenced early  enough1 and so managed
 as to secure the desired result in     
fifteen or  twenty years1 it may not    
only be done with safety1 and without   
material  injury to the timber1 but that
 no other plan or practice will answer  
so well4 ,this he clearly proves upon   
scientific data1 familiarly  illustrated
 by numerous plates1 and confirmed by   
practical statements4    ,if1 however1  
it were only from neglecting to prune   
that the  ,plantations of this kingdom  
had gone wrong1 the 8mismanagement0     
would  not have furnished a subject for 
remarks so strong as it now does2 but1  

as ,i have stated over and over again1  
the practice is1 in most cases  and on  
many accounts1 at every stage of their  
progress1 almost as bad  as it can be4  
,the treatment which a ,plantation ought
 to receive1 may be comprised in  a very
 few words4 ,the principals will require
 pruning from an early  period after    
being planted1 and the pruning must be  
continued1 more or  less1 according to  
circumstances1 either every year or     
every alternate  year1 until it is from 
fifteen to twenty years old2 and1 during
 the  same period1 a small portion of   
thinning will probably be required4  ,as
 to the nurses1 they must be watched    
constantly after the fourth  year1 and  
they must be treated with sole reference
 to the prosperity  of the other trees2 
they may1 therefore1 be pruned1 or      
lopped in  any way that will best       
subserve that end4 ,of course ,i am now 
speaking  of ,plantations where the     
trees are not put nearer to each other  
than  three feet1 and when1 in          

consequence1 they must have artificial  
pruning4    ,in cases where pruning     
begins soon enough1 the question which  
has  been raised as to the manner of    
doing it--whether by close pruning1     
snag pruning1 or fore-shortening--will  
not apply4 ,all the principals  should  
be close pruned with a sharp instrument1
 care being taken  not to wound the bark
 too extensively4 ,the principle to be  
kept in  view at all times1 when dealing
 with a ,plantation1 is1 to subject it  
to no sudden changes1 but when pruning  
is found to be insufficient1  to        
commence a course of gradual thinning1  
which shall not1 in any  considerable   
degree1 at any period1 disturb the      
temperature of the  ,plantation4 ,if    
this point be duly attended to1 and a   
sound judgment  be exercised in         
selecting the principals1 the planter's 
most sanguine  expectations will not be 
disappointed4    ,so far as ,i have     
ventured to offer suggestions for the   
proper  management of ,plantations1 ,i  

have intended them to apply to such as  
are  not over twenty years of age2 but  
it is well known to all who concern     
themselves in such matters1 that a class
 of ,plantations ranging above  that    
age1 up to forty or fifty1 may be met   
with in various localities1  which      
stands much in need of better           
8management40 ,in all cases of great    
neglect1 which has been continued more  
than twenty years1 the nicest  judgment 
is necessary4 ,the difficulty is1       
however1 always in proportion  to the   
degree of neglect4 ,where the trees have
 been put in thickly1  and nothing1 or  
almost nothing1 has been done1 little   
can be expected  even from the most     
judicious treatment2 but still the means
 ought to be  tried1 for one thing is   
quite certain1 viz41 that the longer    
remedial  steps are put off1 the less   
chance there must be of their doing any 
good4    ,if1 when the ,plantation has  
been thus neglected1 a person is called 
in  who does not fully understand what  

he is about1 irreparable mischief  will 
be done3 he is almost sure to thin too  
freely4 ,a proprietor of  long neglected
 ,plantations must1 therefore1 be well  
assured beforehand1  that the person he 
employs will be guided in the course he 
takes by  correct views1 both practical 
and scientific1 upon the whole subject2 
and when such is the case1 the most     
suitable and appropriate plans will  be 
adopted4    ,should any one demand of me
 before ,i close1 some data on which he 
may  judge whether or not a ,plantation 
is in a condition requiring unusual     
attention1 ,i offer the following3      
,first3 ,if1 upon examination1 it be    
found that the trees intended for       
timber have not an aspect and position  
superior to the others which are  around
 them3    ,secondly3 ,if1 at any period 
after twenty years from the time of     
planting1 it be found difficult to      
identify and point out the trees  which 
are to be the final crop3    ,thirdly3  
,when there are any decided indications 

of a want of health and  vigour1 there  
is proof sufficient that something more 
is required to  be done than has yet    
been done4 ,the grosser cases of        
,plantations which  have never been     
entered for any purpose1 for five1 ten1 
fifteen1 or  twenty years together1 need
 not be pointed at4 ,every one who sees 
them  must perceive the necessity of    
their being relieved without loss of    
time4 ,no plant1 of which we have any   
knowledge1 can exist without light  and 
air1 and in proportion to the extent to 
which they are excluded  from           
,plantations1 will be the injurious     
effect produced upon the health  of the 
trees4 ,in fact1 it may be laid down as 
a universal rule1 that  in proportion to
 the judgment and discrimination which  
are exercised  in gradually admitting   
both light and air into ,plantations1 of
 almost  every description1 will be     
their healthy progress4    ,i conclude  
my remarks on this part of my subject by
 observing that1  having admitted1 as ,i

 most fully and readily do1 that a few  
instances may be met with in almost     
every county where the science of       
,arboriculture is tolerably well        
understood1 and its principles carried  
out1 ,i must still contend that cases   
enough may be found--,first2 of a  want 
of preparation of the ground3 ,secondly2
 of an improper selection  of plants1   
either as to kind or size3 ,thirdly2 of 
an unsuitable  admixture of them3       
,fourthly2 of mistakes committed as to  
their  distance from each other3        
,fifthly2 when they are injured for want
 of  early attention3 ,sixthly2 when    
injury is done to them for want of1  or 
from imprudent1 or excessive1 thinning1 
to fully justify me1 or  any one else1  
in bringing before the public the       
8mismanagement0 of  ,plantations4       
,,chap4 ,,iii4    ,,hedge-,,row         
,,timber4      ,in commencing this1 the 
third part of my subject1 ,i am fully   
impressed  with a sense of its magnitude
 and difficulty2 and nothing but a      

thorough conviction resting on my own   
mind1 of the truth of the  position     
which ,i have taken with reference to   
the present state1 and  the present     
management of ,hedge-row ,timber1 would 
have emboldened  me to give expression  
to views which cannot but be unpalatable
 to  many1 however just they may be1 and
 however strong their claim1 to the     
serious notice of others4 ,i am fully   
prepared to expect that censure  may be 
dealt out by some1 in not very measured 
terms1 but this does not  move me3      
having nothing but a plain1 unvarnished 
tale to tell1 ,i shall  tell that tale  
as fearlessly as if ,i were about to    
pour sweetest music  into the ears of   
those who may read4 ,i know whereof ,i  
speak2 and while  ,i have as little fear
 of any one successfully attempting to  
disprove  what ,i shall advance1 as ,i  
have at present1 ,i can contemplate1    
without  a single disturbed feeling1 the
 liability to which ,i shall assuredly  
expose myself1 of having sundry missiles

 thrown at me by those who  are deeply  
implicated in the present               
8mismanagement0 of this valuable        
property4 ,thus much with reference to  
those who are in offices of  trust and  
confidence1 as the managers of ,woods1  
,plantations1 and  ,hedge-,rows1 if any 
such shall favour me with a perusal4    
,but ,i may not  proceed any further1   
before ,i say a few words in deprecation
 of the  displeasure of a more important
 class of persons who will1 ,i trust1   
do me the honour to read my 8,remarks02 
,i mean1 the proprietors of  ,hedge-row 
,timber4 ,to these--or rather to that   
portion of them who have  hitherto paid 
little attention to this part of their  
property--,i would  say1 let my         
observations be 8weighed in the         
balances10 and1 if they are  8found     
wanting10 let these be set against what 
cannot be called more  than a venial    
error--an error of judgment--the strong1
 the ardent desire  that ,i have to see 
introduced the correction of what ,i    

have1 at least1  deemed to be1 a serious
 mischief4    ,if ,hedge-row ,timber has
 been 8mismanaged0--and who can doubt   
it--on whom  shall the blame fall8 ,as  
,i have more than once said before1 not 
on a  class of men who1 from their      
education1 must necessarily be limited  
to  the mechanical duties connected with
 their office1 but on the ,owners  of   
,timber1 from whom either directly1 or  
through the agency of persons  duly     
qualified1 such rules and regulations   
ought to proceed1 as would  insure a    
better system of management4 ,practices 
are allowed1 and such  a state of things
 is permitted by the proprietors of     
,hedge-row ,timber1  as abundantly prove
 that many of them have never either    
understood its  value1 or given         
themselves the trouble to enquire       
whether it was under  a course of       
suitable treatment or not4    ,i have   
stated that ,i consider the question    
which ,i am handling a  difficult one4  
,i feel it to be so--not because ,i have

 any difficulty  in proving             
8mismanagement0 on the part of those who
 have to do with  the timber of our     
hedges--not because ,i can feel a doubt 
that my  statements will carry          
conviction along with them2 but because 
,i must  necessarily come into          
collision1 both with the refined tastes1
 and with  the prejudices1 of many of my
 readers4 ,for instance3 if ,i assert1  
as  ,i do without any hesitation1 that  
many ,noblemen and ,gentlemen suffer    
their ,hedge-row ,timber to stand much  
too long--where is the admirer of  the  
beauties of landscape scenery1 who will 
not instantly1 and perhaps  indignantly1
 throw down my book1 and charge me with 
being the most  presumptuous of         
grumblers1 and1 as to taste1 a very     
heretic6    ,if to such a charge as this
 ,i plead 8not guilty10 as1 after all   
that  can be said1 ,i really must do1 ,i
 am aware that ,i must be prepared with 
a very strong defence4 ,i think ,i am so
 prepared4 ,my defence will rest  on    

three principal points1 which it will be
 my endeavour to bring  out in the      
course of my 8,remarks3 viz43 ,first2 ,i
 shall show that the  magnitude of the  
sacrifice which arises from ,hedge-row  
,timber being  suffered to stand so     
long1 is disproportionate to the good   
resulting  from it4 ,secondly2 that the 
embellishment of a landscape does not   
necessarily include the perpetuity of   
any one race of timber trees4  ,and     
thirdly2 that the present mode of       
8mismanaging0 ,hedge-row ,timber1  is a 
perpetual offence against good taste40  
,although ,i have arranged my three     
propositions as above1 ,i do not  intend
 to bind myself to take them up again1  
and dispose of them  in consecutive     
order3 ,i have neither time nor the     
ability to adapt  my 8remarks0 to the   
niceties of exact logical arrangement2  
it will  be sufficient for me1 if ,i    
shall succeed in leaving upon the minds 
of those who may read them1 an          
impression of their truth4 ,if that     

result is arrived at1 it surely will be 
quite sufficient to draw the  particular
 attention of proprietors to the        
subject2 which will be more  than half  
way towards securing the improvement    
which is so loudly  called for2 and that
 would be as much perhaps1 as could at  
once be  reasonably expected4    ,it may
 not be amiss to glance for an instant1 
at the value of the  property about     
which ,i am writing4 ,few people1 ,i    
imagine1 have any  proper conception of 
the aggregate amount4 ,it is1 of course1
 impossible  to offer more than a       
conjecture on the subject2 but probably 
it is not  less1 in ,england alone1 than
 ,one ,hundred ,millions sterling6      
,it is quite clear that a course of     
management which only1 in some of  its  
details1 falls short of what it ought to
 be1 would involve1 as it  affected such
 an immense investment1 a very serious  
loss to somebody4  ,how much more       
serious then1 must it be1 if1 not only  
some of the minor  details of           

management1 but the entire course of    
treatment1 be radically  wrong1 as it   
respects a considerable proportion1 and 
very defective  indeed as to the        
remainder8 ,it would be a waste of time 
to stop here  with a view to argue1 in  
proof of what must appear to every one  
to be  nothing less than an axiom4      
,that proprietors of ,hedge-row ,timber 
are not solely influenced by            
considerations of taste in their        
management of it1 is most evident  to an
 experienced eye2 but the heavy loss1   
which is consequent  upon allowing it to
 stand so long1 has1 probably1 never    
been fairly  understood by them1 or some
 efforts would have been made to prevent
 it4    ,if a ,nobleman or ,gentleman   
merely suffered his timber to stand     
beyond  maturity in the neighbourhood of
 his house1 or on the domain where  his 
mansion stood1 however extensive it     
might be3--or if he generously  spared  
the trees which1 though at a great      
distance from his residence1  were so   

placed as to enrich1 if not constitute  
the principal beauty  of1 some splendid 
scene in nature1 no one1 who possesses a
 grain of  taste1 would regret it1 but1 
on the contrary1 would feel grateful for
  this sacrifice to one of the most     
hallowed emotions of the heart1  when   
surveying the ,creator's works1 which   
are all perfect2 and the  touches of    
whose pencil are all loveliness--whether
 as seen in the  refreshing beauty of   
foliage which distinguishes the vernal  
season1 or  the mellowed minglings of   
,autumn's enchanting exhibitions3 but   
when it  is considered1 that a majority 
of the ,nobility and ,gentry1 thus treat
  their remote and even most distant    
estates1 where besides1 there  is       
nothing particularly attractive in the  
scenery1 the propriety of  the course   
which they pursue may1 ,i think1 be     
fairly questioned4 ,some  other reason  
therefore1 than a deference to the      
principles of good  taste must be found1
 in order to account for their conduct2 

and in  looking round for a reason ,i   
should say1 a good deal must be set down
  to indifference1 and pure neglect4    
,this ,i say1 because it will  not admit
 of question1 that a most extensive loss
 arises1 both to  themselves1 and the   
community in consequence2 and it is not 
often that  gentlemen wilfully close    
their eyes to the importance of         
pecuniary  considerations1 except there 
is some powerful and justifiable reason 
which leads them to do so4    ,without  
speculating further as to the precise   
cause1 it is certain that  the amount of
 property which is thus wasted1         
absolutely wasted--and  in almost every 
case without any advantage to any party 
whatever--is  enormous1 as it would be  
easy to show by statistical details and 
calculations1 applying to any estate    
where this horror of felling  timber may
 have existed for half a century4 ,were 
this accurately done1  there could not  
but be such a showing1 as would fully   
establish the  truth of what ,i have    

advanced4 ,there would indeed be no     
difficulty  in fixing upon an estate1 in
 any locality1 which would illustrate my
  position1 but ,i shall not here       
attempt it1 for various reasons1 which  
will be obvious to all4 ,it would be    
travelling beyond the bounds of         
legitimate remark1 were ,i to refer to  
any particular estate1 and  any other   
references1 however accurate in point of
 fact1 would not  be sufficiently       
specific4 ,i would rather recommend any 
gentleman  whose estate may be pretty   
well covered with timber1 already1 or   
long  since1 arrived at maturity1 to    
make as near an estimate as he can of   
its present value1 or procure it to be  
made2 and having calculated  the amount 
which would be exhibited of the gross   
sum at compound  interest1 for any given
 term of years1 then let him 8try back10
 and  endeavour to ascertain what1      
according to this mode of calculation1  
may  have been his individual loss4 ,but
 when a gentleman coolly makes up his   

mind to allow his ,timber ,trees to go  
to decay without ever intending1  or    
wishing1 to make any thing of them1 why 
then1 in that case1  nothing can be     
advanced1 but to suggest the means of   
protracting their  existence to the     
longest possible period4    ,it is      
impossible not to do homage to the      
feeling which prompts a  gentleman to   
make so large a sacrifice to taste1 as  
to suffer the  greater part of his      
,hedge-row and detached ,timber to      
perish by slow  decay2 but if it can be 
proved that he acts upon mistaken views1
  and that1 by a better system of       
management1 his object might be  gained 
without the very serious pecuniary loss 
which1 on the other  plan1 he must      
necessarily suffer1 it cannot be doubted
 that such a  suggestion ought to       
command his instant attention4 ,it will 
hardly  be denied1 ,i think1 by any one 
who fully understands the subject1  that
 such a regular succession of ,timber   
,trees in the ,fields and  ,hedge-rows  

might be secured by a proper system of  
management1 as  would sustain and       
perpetuate the beauties of the          
landscape1 while1 at  the same time1    
nearly every tree should be taken in its
 turn as it  arrived at maturity4 ,it   
would1 of course1 require an entire     
change  of system1 or rather of         
practice1 and the change would          
necessarily  involve a considerable     
outlay1 inasmuch as a constant          
supervision  would be required from the 
time of planting1 but whatever might be 
the  expense1 it would be amply         
returned2 and whatever might be the     
apparent  difficulty1 it would not be   
such but that skill and perseverance    
would  be sure to surmount it4    ,if   
then the objection which would be made  
by the man of taste1 to  the felling of 
,hedge-row and detached ,timber1 could  
be effectually  obviated1 by providing a
 regular succession to take the place of
 such  as might be cut down--for the    
difference of a few yards in the site   

need hardly be taken into the           
account--one great difficulty1 at least1
  would be overcome2 and instead of     
wasting1 as is done under the present   
practice1 a quantity of ,timber1 the    
aggregate value of which makes  it an   
object of national importance1 the      
growers might take down  their trees    
when they arrived at maturity1 and thus 
produce a constant  supply of the best  
sort for home consumption3 and it will  
not surely be  argued by the most       
determined advocate for free trade1 that
 it would  be for the interest of the   
,english ,gentleman to give a higher    
price  for ,foreign ,pine than he would 
be able to make of home-grown ,oak6 ,no6
  emphatically ,no66 ,when the navy     
requires it1 by all means let it be so  
appropriated1 and if the demand be      
sufficient from that quarter1 the       
relative price will be kept up1 but let 
not ,english heart of ,oak be  reduced  
in our home market below the value of an
 inferior article1  with all the costs  

of transit added to the original price4 
,this were  indeed to show a most       
extravagant and unaccountable preference
 of a  crotchet over the obvious        
dictates of reason1 and the suggestions 
of  prudence4 ,it would indeed be to    
drop the substance1 and grasp at the    
shadow4    ,i trust ,i may now conclude 
that ,i have satisfactorily proved1  not
 only that the 8magnitude of the        
sacrifice which the present  practice   
involves is disproportionate to the good
 resulting10 but  that 8the             
embellishment of a landscape does not   
necessarily include  the perpetuity of  
any one race of ,trees40 ,in handling   
the remaining  proposition1 and in      
endeavouring to prove that the present  
treatment of  ,hedge-row ,timber is 8a  
perpetual offence against good taste10  
,i shall  at the same time1 be          
accumulating evidence in support of the 
other two4    ,it is proper to remark   
before ,i proceed any further1 that when
 ,i speak  of ,timber being allowed to  

stand too long1 and of the consequent   
heavy  loss upon it to the proprietors1 
,i refer to such as belongs to the      
,nobility and ,gentry1 for1 although    
their example has in this1 as well  as  
in every thing else1 some effect upon   
those below them1 it does  happen that1 
in this respect at least1 the middle    
classes are wiser  in their day and     
generation than their superiors1 the    
,timber upon small  estates being       
generally taken down at an earlier      
period than on large  ones4 ,there is   
indeed among the higher orders--of      
course with a few  exceptions--a        
prejudice against felling ,timber1 older
 than the oldest  ,timber ,tree in      
existence2 and as strong as the most    
enthusiastic  admirer of the beauties of
 landscape scenery can desire it to be3 
and  so far is this feeling carried1    
that1 by many1 ,timber of the most      
unsightly character1 and in situations  
where it can be associated with  no idea
 connected with the scenery1 is         

religiously spared1 and spared  long    
after it has ceased to be either useful 
or ornamental where it  stands4         
,having ventured thus strongly to point 
out the loss to proprietors1  ,i will   
now show1 by an example1 how the        
community is affected by the            
disinclination to fell one particular   
kind of timber2 viz41 the ,ash4  ,this  
tree is hardly ever cut down before it  
becomes exceedingly tender2  and as     
almost every agricultural implement is  
either wholly1 or partly  composed of   
it1 the consumers--those who wear out   
the wagons and carts1  the ploughs and  
harrows--are proportionate sufferers2   
for it cannot  for a moment be supposed1
 that timber which is in the last stage 
of  decay1 or indeed1 approaching to    
that stage1 will wear half so long  as  
that which is cut down as soon as it has
 arrived at full maturity4  ,the period 
when it has done so1 will be indicated  
to a practiced eye1  at a single glance1
 even with that class of trees which has

 had fair  play2 or in other words1     
where premature decay has not been      
brought  on by mal-treatment4 ,but the  
latter class is by far the most         
numerous1  and it requires very little  
either of science1 or of knowledge of a 
practical kind1 to teach a man how to   
deal with them4 ,it is of no use  to let
 them stand4 ,if they are not wanted for
 ornament1 the sooner they  are felled  
the better1 for the process of decay is 
very rapid in this  particular tree4    
,their early removal is further         
necessary1 because they  injuriously    
affect the ,farmer in another way1 as ,i
 will show4    ,the roots1 c4 of one    
single ,ash ,tree are said to amount to 
a million  in number1 and to extend     
themselves as far all round the bole as 
the  branches4 ,i do not profess to be  
able to form a very decided opinion  as 
to the number of the roots1 rootlets1   
fibres1 c41 but ,i have seen  quite     
enough of the habits of the tree to     
convince me1 that the roots  extend     

themselves much farther than is here    
supposed2 and it is well  known to all  
farmers1 that to a distance far beyond  
this1 vegetation  is almost totally     
destroyed2 and that1 near a ,hedge-row  
7dividing  two arable fields7 which is  
filled with filthy1 scabbed1 stunted    
,ash  ,trees1 which1 from               
8mismanagement10 have been brought into 
such a  condition as positively to be   
making no progress at all1 sow what he  
may1 the farmer can never reap any      
thing3 and yet these unsightly  things1 
which are the latest of all other of our
 common deciduous  trees1 in getting    
their foliage1 and almost the earliest  
out again1  are suffered to linger out  
their feeble1 but blighting existence1  
until by slow decay they become so      
unsound1 that the wind blows them  down1
 and they are fit for nothing but the   
fire6 or1 if they do not  actually reach
 this stage1 they are only cut down     
because the owner has  the fear of such 
a result before his eyes6 ,a volume     

might be written  with reference to this
 particular tree1 were it necessary to  
take up  every one of the points which  
present themselves1 as condemning the   
present practice in its management1 but 
that is not needed1 for the  ,ash ,tree 
is so generally met with in a diseased  
state1 that it may be  considered as the
 subject of grosser 8mis-management0    
than any other  of our domestic trees4  
,if any one still deny this1 let him    
look round  him and say1 why ,hedge-rows
 so abound every where1 in puny1 sickly1
  ,ash ,timber1 which cannot possibly   
attain to a useful size3 and when  he   
has confessed the fact1 that they really
 do exist in that state1  ,i will       
reiterate the assertion1 that the cause 
is bad management6 ,if  the present     
condition of ,hedge-row ,ash1 generally1
 does not prove  8mis-management10 ,i am
 at a loss to know what does1 for when  
the  different kinds are planted upon a 
congenial soil1 if they be properly     
treated1 they will continue to grow1    

more or less rapidly1 according  to     
circumstances1 and for a longer or      
shorter period1 as the natural  term of 
their existence may rule3 but as they   
are now treated1 they  are never        
healthy1 for the principle of decay is  
introduced at a very  early stage of    
their existence1 and in consequence1    
premature old age  is brought on4 ,to   
the absence of early training1 may be   
attributed  much of what is seen to be  
wrong in the present condition and      
quality  of ,hedge-row ,timber1 but much
 more to the vile practice of mutilating
  the trees1 which almost every where   
obtains4 ,there is1 indeed1 in some     
quarters1 such perfect indifference     
manifested about the well-being of  the 
trees1 that free licence is allowed to  
the tenants of the land to  do as they  
will with them3 and free use they make  
of it1 as may well  be supposed1 and as 
is abundantly evident in all such       
places4 ,and why  should it be          
otherwise8 ,it has so long been the     

practice1 and it is so  far out of their
 way to really understand the matter1   
that farmers may  well be excused4 ,they
 cut off the roots1 and reduce the      
extent of the  branches1 of their enemy1
 in self defence2 and without having the
  remotest idea that they are doing so  
serious an injury to the property  of   
their landlords4 ,this is fully proved  
by the fact1 that they  treat their own 
trees in precisely the same way4 ,it is1
 then1 to the  indifference that has    
hitherto been manifested by the         
proprietors of  ,hedge-row ,timber1 and 
the consequent prevalence of mistaken   
views on  the subject1 that the present 
state of things is to be attributed4    
,some  gentlemen do indeed introduce    
into their ,agreements1 clauses         
affecting  to provide against the       
mischievous pruning which is here       
condemned1  but1 except in the          
neighbourhood of a mansion1 where a     
strict look out  is generally kept1 they
 are quite inoperative--they are a dead 

letter1  for not only does the pruning  
go on1 but1 as ,i have just hinted1 the 
trees are often attacked below too1 and 
deprived of their roots1 as  well as    
their branches1 thus cutting off their  
supply of nutriment from  the atmosphere
 above1 and from their legitimate       
sources of supply from  the soil4 ,both 
these practices ought to be most        
strictly interdicted4    ,my indignation
 and regret have a thousand times been  
excited1 on  seeing the noblest of all  
our ,hedge-row ,trees1 the ,oak1 clipped
 of its  beautiful proportions1 and     
reduced by repeated snaring1 as it is   
most  aptly called1 to the capacity and 
shape of a huge besom6 and by this      
truly infamous treatment1 deprived not  
only of all its scenic beauty1  but     
actually of its specific character6 and1
 if not altogether stopped  in its      
growth1 rendered utterly worthless for  
application to the chief  end and       
purpose for which it is adapted and     
intended4 ,i need not say1  that ,i     

mean--the building of ships4    ,upon   
this subject there ought not to be two  
opinions3 neither will  there1 among    
those who really understand it2 but it  
is much to be  lamented1 that a very    
large portion of the ,hedge-row ,timber 
of this  country is in the hands of     
persons who either do not understand the
  management of it1 or who are          
indifferent about it4 ,it very          
frequently  happens1 that there is no   
person but the ,land ,steward1 who can  
make any  pretensions to a correct      
judgment in the matter1 and he has often
 quite  enough to attend to1 without so 
responsible a duty as this is--being    
added to his department4 ,he therefore1 
very naturally1 attends to those  duties
 which are indispensable2 and as for the
 ,timber1 c4 c4 he only  thinks about it
 seriously1 when he wishes to ascertain 
how much of  it he can turn to profit4  
,every considerable estate ought to have
 a person upon it1 whose  attention     
shall exclusively be devoted to the     

supervision of the  ,woods1 ,plantations
 and ,hedge ,rows1 c4 ,he should be a   
well-educated  and an intelligent man2  
and should be so well-paid for his      
services1  as to feel that his employer 
has a moral claim upon him1 for the     
entire devotion of his mind1 as well as 
his physical powers1 to the  efficient  
discharge of his duties4    ,an inquiry 
into the natural history of ,hedge-row  
,timber1 if ,i may so  speak of it1     
would furnish a field for highly        
interesting remark1 and  it would       
assuredly remove any doubts that might  
remain in the minds of  those who have  
gone no farther than to suspect that the
 management of  it has been bad4 ,when  
it is considered that the ,timber of our
 ,hedges  is the product of chance1 or  
even worse than that1 that it has grown 
to what it is1 notwithstanding that it  
has been subjected to the most          
barbarous treatment2 it is impossible   
not to perceive1 that if it had  been   
watched and tended as it ought to have  

been1 it would have  equalled any thing 
that could have been conceived of it4   
,the classes of trees which may be met  
with in our ,hedge-rows are  various1   
and are so situated in many places1 as  
to really give rise to  the idea just   
now referred to--that they are found    
there1 more as a  matter of chance1 than
 of design3 and this may be assigned1   
partly at  least1 as the reason why they
 have been so neglected1 or so          
shamefully  used4 ,if they had been     
planted1 and if any calculation at all  
were made  before planting1 it might be 
imagined that a gentleman would wish to 
ascertain what would be the surest mode 
of raising a class of fine  unblemished 
trees1 whether they were ,oaks1 or      
,elms1 or ,ash1 or any  other kind2 and 
having carefully1 and at some expense1  
introduced them  into his hedges1 it is 
difficult to suppose1 that he would     
either leave  them to shift for         
themselves1 or to the tender mercies of 
their natural  enemies1 the occupiers of

 the land on which they might be        
growing3 it  is therefore more than     
probable1 that a considerable proportion
 of them  are in the hedges more by     
accident than any thing else4 ,but      
however  that may be1 the fact remains  
the same3 they are1 very generally1     
standing memorials of the ignorance of  
the men in whose care they have  been   
placed1 and a triumphant vindication of 
the propriety of my title4    ,if       
,hedge-row ,trees have length of bole1  
they have it--not because they  were    
properly trained and assisted when they 
were young1 and therefore  needed it1   
but--in consequence1 most likely1 of    
indiscriminate lopping  and pruning at  
some former period of their growth1 the 
fruits of which1  although now invisible
 to the unpracticed eye1 will appear    
hereafter1  to the dismay1 and serious  
loss1 of the person who may have to saw 
them  up4    ,i have elsewhere given my 
opinion very freely on the subject of   
pruning1 but as it will be necessary    

just to glance at it1 in  connection    
with ,hedge-row ,timber1 ,i will again  
take the ,oak1 which is  almost the only
 tree that ,i would recommend for       
hedges4 ,as this noble  tree will       
naturally grow of a bush-like shape1    
when standing alone1  it is absolutely  
necessary that it be pruned1 or it will 
not acquire  sufficient length of stem4 
,i am not1 therefore1 the wholesale     
condemner  of pruning1 even of          
,hedge-row ,trees1 but ,i would have no 
pruning done  after they had arrived at 
a certain age--say1 twenty years3 all   
work of  this kind should be done during
 the infancy of the tree1 or not at     
all4 ,i would much sooner cut down a    
tree1 if it had not sufficient  length  
of bole1 and trust to the chance of     
raising a better from  its stool1 than  
take off large branches1 particularly if
 it was not  over thirty years of age4  
,indeed the former method of repairing  
the  mischief of long neglect1 appears  
to me as one peculiarly adapted to  the 

circumstances in which some estates are 
placed1 as to the timber2  and ,i should
 not hesitate to adopt it upon an       
extensive scale4 ,i  have1 in fact1 seen
 many estates where ,i should cut down  
,oaks very  freely1 which have not      
length of bole1 or which1 from some     
cause or  other1 are not healthy2 even  
though they might not produce timber    
enough to pay for the cost of cutting4  
,there are estates within less  than two
 hours ride of my residence1 which are  
apparently well  stocked with timber1   
but it is of such quality that1 were it 
under  my own management1 ,i should     
instantly cut it down2 and from a large 
proportion of the stools ,i should train
 up a new race of trees4 ,these  would1 
if well attended to1 grow into a class  
and quality of timber1  very little1 if 
at all1 inferior to maiden trees2 while1
 on the  other hand1 from those which   
are standing1 whatever length of time   
they may remain1 nothing can be         
expected1 but a small quantity of       

timber1 and that of middling quality4   
,but to return to pruning4 ,in  a ,wood1
 or a ,plantation1 trees will draw up   
each other to a certain  length1 and    
many of the lateral branches1 from the  
exclusion of light  and air1 will die1  
and some of them will fall off2 this is1
 of course1  natural pruning3 but in a  
,hedge-row1 they have no such help1 they
  will1 therefore1 require artificial   
pruning2 which should commence  at the  
time of planting1 and continue until it 
can be seen that they  will assuredly   
acquire ample length of bole4 ,the kind 
of pruning which  is here advocated     
cannot possibly do any harm1 if it be   
well done1  and done at a proper season4
 ,the soundness of an ,oak will in no   
degree  be impaired by it2 and          
consequently1 it will be1 on all        
accounts1 more  serviceable for naval   
purposes1 than if it were not pruned2   
for it will  not surely be contended1   
that clearness of grain1 and length of  
stem1  are not likely to recommend it to

 the ship-builder4 ,so far from having  
a doubt upon this point1 ,i am of       
opinion that timber thus carefully      
trained1 will be1 on every account1     
incomparably superior to that  which is 
at present obtained from our            
,hedge-rows2--it will exhibit a  healthy
 developement1 from the pith to the     
alburnum2 so that wherever  there is a  
bend1 a crook1 or a knee1 in it1 the    
purchaser will  be sure that it is      
sound--whereas the very opposite is the 
case with  by far the greater part of   
that which now comes into the market4   
,the  reckless extent to which the      
abominable practice of pruning1 lopping1
  or snaring--whichever it may be       
called--is carried1 renders the         
conversion of timber a very hazardous   
speculation1 and should long  since have
 taught the growers of it1 to avoid the 
commission of such an  error themselves1
 and to impose a heavy penalty on all   
those belonging  to them1 who should be 
found guilty of it4    ,to illustrate a 

little further the statement here made1 
and the  opinion here given1 it may be  
remarked1 that the effect of such a     
vile mutilation of ,hedge-row ,timber as
 is1 in almost every quarter1           
permitted1 is seen and felt most in     
those very parts where strength  is most
 wanted1 and which1 if sound1 would     
render the timber so much  the more     
valuable4 ,it is on the outsides of     
bends or knees1 that  blemishes are so  
frequently found1 and which are often so
 considerable1  as to reduce the value  
of a valuable crook to almost nothing4  
,these defects in timber are sometimes  
so far within the body of the  tree1 as 
to elude the scrutiny of the keenest    
eye1 proving1 in some  very old trees1  
that pruning is not an evil of modern   
date4 ,in a still  greater proportion1  
as to the whole quantity1 however1 the  
eye of  ,ship-builders1 or ,timber      
,merchants--all of whom have frequently 
been  bitten--will detect1 from external
 appearances1 the snag-pruning1  covered

 over both with wood and bark2 and      
consequently1 they protect  themselves  
as well as they can in their purchases1 
against the  contingency of unsound     
timber1 by shaping their offers         
accordingly4  ,this1 of course1 affects 
the seller in no inconsiderable degree1 
and  is one other reason why he should  
put a stop to the practice of pruning   
altogether1 except when it could be done
 under the eye of his own ,wood         
,manager4    ,the last point connected  
with ,hedge-row ,trees which ,i shall   
mention1  is the planting of them2 but  
upon this part of the subject1 ,i shall 
not say much4 ,i might1 indeed1 have    
passed it over in silence1 and  still   
have fulfilled the requirements of my   
,title-page2 but inasmuch as  the       
planting of ,hedge-row ,timber1 must    
form a part of an improved  system of   
management1 however it may be left out  
of the present  practice1 it does not   
seem quite right to overlook it         
altogether4    ,if ,hedge-row ,trees are

 to succeed at all1 they must have a    
good  start2 and if they are to have a  
good start1 there must1 of  necessity1  
be some trouble bestowed in the         
preparation of the site on  which they  
are to be planted4 ,in the fences of new
 inclosures there  will be no difficulty
 at all4 ,if the border1 as it is often 
called1  be well prepared for the quick1
 it will be in a right state for an     
,oak ,tree2 and it would really appear  
to be a piece of unaccountable          
neglect--an inexplainable circumstance1 
as the act of a man of  business--if a  
tract of land were to be enclosed1 and  
new fences put  down1 without the       
opportunity being seized to plant a     
suitable number  of ,oak ,trees4 ,i say1
 of ,oak ,trees1 because ,i am persuaded
 that it  would be very difficult indeed
 to find a locality where any other kind
  of timber1 other circumstances being  
equal1 would be likely to pay  so well4 
,in the line of every ,quick fence1     
then1 ,i should certainly  recommend    

that healthy ,oak ,plants1 of four years
 old1 which have been  at least twice   
transplanted in the nursery1 should be  
inserted1 at a  distance from each      
other--say1 of twenty yards--and if they
 are properly  guarded and nursed1      
nothing is more certain1 than that they 
will  become a fine race of trees4 ,but 
planting young ,oaks1 or young trees  of
 any kind1 in an old ,hedge-row1 is     
quite a different affair4 ,it  is indeed
 an undertaking involving real          
difficulty1 and requiring a  very       
considerable degree of skill on the part
 of the workman1 and of  firmness and   
determination on the part of his        
employer4    ,it would be found all but 
impossible to rear a young ,oak in the  
exact  line of an old and vigorous thorn
 hedge2 but there are many situations   
which present much less difficulty4 ,for
 example3 ,in the year when a  hedge is 
plashed or laid1 where there is a       
moderate space on the bank  which has   
been raised when the quick was first    

planted--say1 of a foot  or more--there 
will be room for a tree2 and in all     
cases1 where the  bank has not been     
pared down1 there will be more room than
 is here  supposed4 ,many other places1 
such as the sides of the banks of large 
ditches1 the gaps of hedges1 c4 c4 may  
be met with1 on almost every  estate1   
which ought to be filled with ,oaks1    
after the ground has been  prepared in a
 suitable manner4    ,but1 a previous   
preparation of the plant is necessary4  
,planting in  ,hedge-rows1 where        
planting has been done at all1 has been 
performed  in the same ill-adapted way  
as every thing else relating to timber4 
,the plants have been taken out of the  
nursery1 indiscriminately with  others1 
which have been intended for close      
planting2 instead of having  such1 and  
such only1 as have been twice or thrice 
shifted1 and each  time into a more     
exposed situation1 and wider apart1 in  
order that  they might acquire more     
fibrous roots1 and induration of bark1  

and  thus be enabled to cope with1 and  
surmount1 the disadvantages of their    
new position4 ,another point1 which has 
previously been hinted at1 is  the      
guarding of the trees4 ,no matter what  
the expense may be1 if a  gentleman     
determines to have ,hedge-row ,timber1  
he must guard it well4  ,it stands more 
in need of the watchful eye of the ,wood
 ,manager than  almost any thing else3  
in fact1 it is of little or no use      
planting at  all1 if a good and         
sufficient guard fence be not           
immediately put down3  but1 having put  
in good plants1 and effectually         
protected them1 ,i say  again1 ,i know  
of no reason why ,hedge-row ,timber     
should not thrive and  prosper1 and1    
ultimately1 turn out as sound1 as any   
other4 ,that it is  not so with the race
 of ,timber ,trees now growing1 except  
to a very  limited extent1 ,i assert    
without fear of contradiction2 and1 with
  the same confidence1 ,i plead this    
fact as my justification1 when ,i       

re-assert1 that their treatment1 from   
first to last1 is neither more  nor     
less1 than a course of gross            
8,,mismanagement40      ,,the ,,end4    
,printed by ,j4 ,,perfect1 ,cartergate1 
,newark4            ,transcriber's      
,notes      pg #dg ,changed3 in the     
agregate1 a comparatively valueless     
property               to3 in the       
aggregate1 a comparatively valueless    
property      pg #aai ,changed3 having  
carefully1 and at some expence          
to3 having carefully1 and at some       
expense      pg #abb ,changed3 are not  
likely to recommed it                to3
 are not likely to recommend it