CopsE Woops. 49 
about 40 ft. The biggest larch I could find is about 50 ft. high, 
with a circumference of 30 inches at breast height of the girth 
measurement. This tree will contain about 7 or 8 ft. of timber, 
not a bad growth for 18 years. There are many others of 45 ft. 
high, with a circumference of 24 inches at breast high. The 
largest Douglas is about 45 feet high, and 24 inches circumfer- 
ence. I have, unfortunately, no correct record of the value of 
the copse cut off this portion, but, taking it as the same as the 
best acre measured in the seventies as £13 an acre, or £26 for the 
two acres, the cost of planting up the wood, I estimate to be 
about £8 an acre, including fencing; or, say, £16 for the two 
acres. ‘The first thinning was done in 1901, when, as much as 
possible, all the diseased larch were removed, and the net price 
realised was £20. In the next year, 1902, a gale in September 
blew down a good number of the trees, more especially in one 
corner, and a fortunate sale of the poles brought in another 
£14 10s, making £34 10s in all. The cost of planting £16 at 
compound interest at 4 per cent. for 14 years comes to £28 5s, 
so that I am justified in saying that my original outlay has been 
repaid me, and I have now a young wood of 18 years which is 
growing well, and becoming more valuable every year. Other 
portions of the wood, where ash and oak predominate, have been 
thinned out, leaving always the best with a view to their growing 
into a larger and more valuable class of wood, and, where the 
stools were not too old, these promise fairly well, but of their 
value it is too soon to speak. Two years ago I thinned some 
oak a second time, taking out also some birch which had ceased 
to improve, and this has been underplanted with silver fir in the 
denser portions, and Douglas in the more open parts. These 
are already making good growths. I have also small portions 
which were cut clean over, and where three years ago Douglas 
were planted 4 ft. apart, or 2720 to the acre, which, so far as 
my experience goes, is the smallest number that should be 
planted to the acre to get good, clean timber. A writer in a 
local newspaper this autumn wrote an article recommending very 
highly the planting of Douglas and other newer-imported varie- 
ties of trees at 9 ft. apart, as a means of restoring the value of 
British woodlands. This gentleman evidently had no personal 
or practical experience, or he would not have made such a 
suggestion. I unhesitatingly say if Douglas are planted so far 
