FORESTRY IN KENT AND SUSSEX. 419 



On Lord C 's Estate. 



12 feet poles realised about . . 8s. 10 Jd. per 100. 



13 „ „ „ „ . 10s. 2d. „ 100. 



14 „ „ „ „ . 13s. 7d. „ 100. 



On Lord G 's Estate. 



11 feet poles realised about . . 4s. lOd. per 100. 



12 » „ „ „ . . 10s. 2d. „ 100. 

 14 „ „ „ „ . 12s. 7d. „ 100. 

 16 „ „ „ „ . 13s. 8d. „ 100. 



Poles of Spanish chestnut are the most highly esteemed and 

 realise the best price, if 3d. per cubic foot — which is about the 

 amount it works out to — can be reckoned a good price for sound 

 timber of any kind. At the sales referred to, some of the poles 

 had their bark on, other lots had their bark off; some had been 

 shaved and sharpened, while the sharpened points of some other 

 lots had made the acquaintance of the creosoting-tank. 



The preference shown for chestnut poles is a contributing cause 

 to the general poverty of the woods. When the wood-reeve 

 undertakes planting operations, he is unduly influenced by the 

 immediate local demand, and plants principally, if not entirely, 

 Spanish chestnut. His whole policy is, in fact, dominated by a 

 desire to cater for the requirements of the hop-grower, and the 

 result of his policy can hardly be called satisfactory. Spanish 

 chestnut undoubtedly makes an excellent copse-wood, and, under 

 favourable conditions, is a rapid grower; but it is a light-demand- 

 ing tree, and therefore not a good under-wood. Realising this 

 fact, the wood-reeve views with more satisfaction than concern 

 the diminishing number of standard trees in his woods, as each 

 removal provides more head-room for his beloved chestnut poles. 

 Young larch is much appreciated by the hop-grower when he can 

 obtain it, and this species might with advantage be planted in 

 many situations in place of chestnut ; but it has this disadvantage 

 in the eyes of the wood-reeve, that it does not cut and come again 

 like the latter, and he has more love for the axe than for the 

 spade. Probably there are estates in Kent and Sussex where a 

 better system may obtain; but the foregoing is a pretty accurate 

 description of the main features of forestry as it is practised in 

 these southern counties. 



VOL. XVI. PART III. 2 p 



