16 FORESTRY. 
day. The British landowner has a perfect right to manage his 
woods in the way best calculated to secure the objects he has in 
view. These objects, I think, are generally as follows:—Ist, 
landscape effect, especially park scenery ; 2nd, game cover ; 3rd, 
shelter; 4th, timber for estate purposes. To insist upon the 
uniform application of strict continental system to all classes of 
land in this country is very far from what I advocate. In the 
first place, I don’t think close canopy is as essential on a great 
part of our area as it is on dry soils and climate. The climate 
and soil of our islands, part of them, at least, is far more pro- 
pitious to tree growth than those of a great deal of the forest area 
of Europe. But what I do advocate is the application of strict 
system, modified to suit our peculiar circumstances. 
Now let us take these four objects which I have mentioned 
as uppermost in the average landowner’s purpose, and see how 
far they are to be reconciled with a sound system of forestry. 
LANDSCAPE EFFECT. 
1. Landscape effect, especially park scenery—He must be 
callous indeed, be he landowner or simple wayfarer, who is in- 
different to the charm of English park scenery, which consists of 
prairie with groves and scattered trees. But it is an effect which 
can only be obtained as the result of age. The finest park 
scenery is a gradual evolution from close forest, and never can be 
attained by planting single trees apart upon a plain. By that 
means you attain nothing but huge cabbages with an ugly hori- 
zontal browzing line, or picturesque monstrosities such as the 
great beech at Kilkerran, Ayrshire, which girths 19 ft. 6 in. at 
5 ft. high, or malformed specimens like this ash. Now compare 
with such results some park effects that have been evolved out of 
high forest. Trees are social creatures; for the development of 
their true character they require the discipline of close company 
to rear stately stems and preserve symmetrical heads. I must 
not linger over long upon this fascinating subject, but if anyone 
doubts my contention that good forestry is not only reconcileable 
with the finest park scenery but is actually essential to its pro- 
duction, let him visit Ashridge Park, in Hertfordshire, and reflect 
upon the process which reared the famous beeches there. It is 
out of a well-grown woodland only that you can carve a beautiful 
park. For the last sixty or seventy years most of us have been 
