1884.] ON ENGLISH FORESTRY. 105 



itinerant beggars, always collecting money to replace their lost 

 horses, cows, pigs, or donkeys. Commons, it mi:st be confessed, 

 are apt to be a reign of disorder. Even the trees allowed to stand 

 on them are seldom good for much. It has now come to this, 

 that the only planters and preservers of trees are our country 

 gentlemen, and that they persevere in this very unprofitable 

 cultivation for the sake of the landscape and of the game. We 

 have many beautiful parks ; but no longer any forests, and not 

 many considerable plantations. What we have of the latter have 

 generally proved to be mistakes. At the beginning of the century 

 there was a universal movement, on patriotic principles, to create 

 what was expected would be a constant and perennial supply of 

 timber for the navy. But people planted the wrong Firs and the 

 wrong Oaks. At present this does not so much matter, as we can 

 do wdthout either of them. The only serious mistake is that our 

 grandfathers could not possibly foresee that Larch was the only Fir 

 suitable for railway sleepers. Certain woods are of value for 

 special purposes not involving a large demand. The Elm has its 

 sad use, and will be wanted as long as people live and die, but is 

 good for little else. It is a bad neighbour, and a treacherous 

 member in any design for beauty's sake. There are few avenues, 

 indeed, that do not tell of destructive storms. The Scotch Fir is 

 equally apt to disappoint. Beeches hold to the ground, but suffer 

 internal decay sooner than their admirers expect, and then they 

 leave sad gaps. But now for a long period the enthusiasm and 

 the science of our noble and gentle foresters have run into ever- 

 green trees and shrubs, especially those from America and 

 Australia. Our gentry are very little at their homes in spring, or 

 in summer, or, indeed, till far into autumn. They want winter 

 gardens. Parliament has much to answer for in this matter. It 

 has really changed the face of the country. The pre sent genera- 

 tion httle know how recent is the introduction of the noble 

 evergreens now towering in large picturesque masses round our 

 great country houses. Half a century ago Lord Grenville housed 

 all his exotic Pines, at Dropmoor, under enormous wigwams to 

 protect them from the inclemency of an English winter, so new 

 were they and so little was known of their hardy nature. 



That there is a future in this matter, and that we may not know 

 it — in other words, that there may one day be great occasion for 

 large and well-stocked forests — all must admit. Sir John 

 Lubbock may one day prove a true prophet, though, like other 

 prophets, little attended to. For the present the whole question 

 is ruled by pecuniary considerations. Our wealthy landowners 

 are the only men to plant on a large scale. They are the only 



