120 English Timber and Underivood. 



Although pollarding is now almost a lost art, there are 

 indications that this system may be revived, and it offers many 

 advantages for the production of poles and rods. As a short 

 digression, it is interesting to note that many of our oldest 

 picturesque trees are pollards, tlie relics of ancient systems of 

 sylviculture, and illustrations of the increase of life given to a 

 tree by pollarding. 



The commonest method of growing coppice was in a mixture 

 with oak and other standard trees. This old system, usually 

 known as " coppice with standards," was certainly thefi the 

 most suitable system of sylviculture for this country, and by 

 far the most lucrative, owing to the good demand for the 

 produce. In districts where there was a big demand for a 

 special variety, certain species of coppice were grown pure and 

 without the standard trees, since the coppice alone offered 

 greater advantages. An instance of this to-day is chestnut 

 coppice in Kent and Sussex, which was in special demand for 

 hop poles and wooden hoops. Ash poles were valuable for 

 hurdles and other agricultural uses ; and for both chestnut and 

 ash poles, grown in a proper manner, there is probably still a 

 good future. Hazel was grown for wattles, withies, thatch 

 stakes, crates, and many other articles. Oak coppice is to be 

 found in various districts, especially in the West of England. 

 It was valuable for the production of oak bark, at one time 

 in great demand for tanning. Alder, birch, hornbeam, &c., 

 also were produced to meet some special demand. The 

 most unfortunate feature of underwood to-day is that a large 

 proportion of it is of a mixed character and includes many 

 different species. As in the case of timber, the mixed nature 

 of the crop has a detrimental effect on both its production 

 and sale. 



Although many of the old local markets for underwood 

 have disappeared, new ones in many cases might be cultivated, 

 but these will be princi] ally of a wider natui^e than formerly. 

 Thanks to the increase in price of much of the foreign produce, 

 we can compete successfully in many markets to-day that would 

 not have been profitable twenty years ago. It is a mistake to 

 assume that the foreign raw material or manufactured article is 

 always purchased because it is cheaper ; in many cases the 

 preference is due solely to proper methods of marketing. But 

 new markets and conditions require new methods. Methods 

 that suited the marketing of underwood for the old brick oven 

 are scarcely suitable for the large commercial industries of the 

 present day. In many cases, for tlie tool, bobbin, games, and 

 similar trades, native poles and underwood might be purchased 

 if markets were cultivated and organised so that a proper and 

 regular supply of the produce could be ensured. 



