WOODLAND AND COVERT 133 



largely engrossed by considerations of 

 possible yield of timber, he is perhaps 

 at times not able to see the wood quite 

 clearly for the trees, and were we to 

 seek a heading for a chapter on woodlands 

 more likely to take his fancy, we would 

 have to start in other vein with some- 

 thing like — 



Statelier than temples upbuilded with hands 

 Tall column by column the sanctuary stands 

 Of the pine forest's infinite aisles. 



This might set him in better humour, 

 stimulating intricate mental calculations 

 about so many cubic feet of good red 

 deal per acre. 



Thus at the very outset we are faced 

 by this difficult problem, how at once 

 to meet the demands of forestry and 

 game in the management of our wood- 

 lands. There used to be a third con- 

 sideration to be satisfied, the preservation 

 of the natural beauties of coverts devoted 

 to game. But this was in the days when 

 the rabbit flourished and multiplied ex- 

 ceedingly in our parks and policies, to 



