18 TRANSACTIONS OF ROYAL SCOTTISH ARBORICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
there is hardly an acre of land which would grow timber naturally 
that is not referred to in this return, 
The practice of cultivation seems to have been that of ‘‘natural 
regeneration,” such as is advocated by the most distinguished 
foresters of the modern school. In old days it went by the name 
of “encoppicing,” and the process seems to have been simply to 
enclose the area by a fence against cattle and deer, and to rely 
on the natural reproduction of the seed from the existing crop 
of trees to replenish the wood. After the coppice was fairly 
established, it seems to have been the practice to farm it out on 
lease for a term of years, but under certain restrictions as to the 
preservation of the timber. Thus in a.p. 1571 we find a present- 
ment of the regarders of the forest to the effect that ‘‘a coppice 
called Ridley Coppice hath been spoiled by cattle by one John 
Marlowe.” To this careful attention, it may be, we owe it, that 
we are now able to enjoy the beauties of Ridley Wood—without 
exception the most beautiful of all the woods of the New Forest 
as it now exists. Such presentments, however, abound in the 
records of this reign, and it is clear that great pains were taken 
to keep the numerous young coppices free from all manner of 
cattle. These coppices are the old woods, which are the glory of 
the Forest at the present day. 
The leasing to which I have referred seems to have extended 
only to underwood, for in the presentments against those who 
were the tenants, are indictments ‘‘for felling five dotards contain- 
ing ten loads of timber, value 6s.;” for ‘‘shrouding (or lopping) 
200 trees in the said coppice and selling the same;” again, “ for 
divers and many young oaks felled for stakes for the hedge” (this 
also in the same Ridley Wood, which seems most fortunately to 
have been a special object of care). Last, and perhaps worst 
offence of all, “the regarders and preservators of the Bailiwick 
of Fritham make oath and say in English words—that in the 
coppice called Hocknold there is felled by the grownd four oaks.” 
These records, trivial as they may seem, when taken with the 
story that the old woods tell for themselves, throw a flood of 
light on the origin of the most ancient of the woods we now 
behold. That they were first enclosed is certain from the heavy 
bills we find being presented to the Exchequer of the day for the 
charges of doing the work ; that they were farmed out is shown 
by the leases and grants to the various tenants ; how they were 
