IVhittlewood Forest. 405 



against which latter no compLaint can be made. ]>ut against the 

 Crown officials of those days the same remarks as to Salcey Forest 

 would apply here, and it is needless to go over the same ground again. 

 Given a forest to look after and preserve for the national interests, and 

 the problem was how to get the most out of it for themselves in addi- 

 tion to their legitimate salaries. In this instance the trees were left 

 on the Crown lands to grow just as they pleased, no care being taken 

 to plant in vacant places or to thin out the trees. In some coppices 

 there was little or no succession of young oaks, and in others they 

 stood as thick as possible, and were left to take their chance of existence 

 anyhow. The history of this forest is a little brighter than that of 

 others, as in this case the grantee seems to have done his duty at 

 the periods above mentioned, and also done his best to protect timber 

 trees which others were paid to protect, viz., those belonging to the 

 Crown. Although the supply of British oak is no longer of material 

 consequence to our navy or building trade, the causes of the waste 

 undergone by our native woods, read us lessons which will Ije useful 

 in the future, even if ornamental trees were our only aim. In that 

 case, too, we may even learn much from tlie failures of others ; but as 

 a profitable market can be found in this country for home forest pro- 

 ducts, there is an additional reason why the science of forestry should 

 be more understood. 



