PLANTATIONS OX THE ESTATE OF WENTWORTIT, YORKSHIRE. 163 



to have a fall every year, so that all the ground may be gone over 

 in twenty-one years. 



The timber is sold standing, by public auction, in early spring. 

 The trees are all previously marked, measured, and valued by the 

 woodman. The purchaser pays all the expenses for felling, 

 peeling, cutting, and clearing the underwood, etc. In a book 

 for the purpose, the reserved trees, and trees for sale, are all 

 noted. No tree is measured that does not contain ten cubic 

 feet of timber. Under that size they are classed as poles. 

 The system of measuring is as follows. The men are supplied 

 with six rods, each six feet long, with ferrules to slip the rods 

 into as they are passed up the tree. One man uses the rods, 

 another the tape for the girth, and a thii-d enters the number 

 of tree, the length, and the girth into the book. It is surpris- 

 ing how near, by this simple method, they can go to the contents 

 of each tree. 



It is the custom to peel the ti-ees standing, which is certainly 

 an advantage in getting the bark earlier cured, as no time is lost 

 in felling. I am of opinion that it is also better for the timber, 

 as the longer it stands after being barked, it is always becoming 

 more seasoned. 



Many would perhaps object to the purchaser cutting down the 

 wood, but in this case it is no objection, as the woodmen are the 

 proprietor's servants ; the purchaser agreeing to pay for the work- 

 ing of the wood at prices stated in the Rules of Sale. 



The usual contract prices for working the wood are as follows : — 

 for felling, per ton of 40 feet, 3s. ; barking, per ton, 30s. ; cutting 

 and ranking of cordwood, 4s. per cord; stakes per score, 3d.; 

 and so on, the woodmen providing their own tools. 



In the Home plantations and Park much the same system of 

 piece-work is carried out, especially in felling, barking, and similar 

 operations, the same price being paid as in the "spring woods," 

 but in all cases the wood is felled before it is sold, which is mostly 

 done by private bargain. 



The younger plantations have been partially thinned, but no 

 system of pruning has been adopted. The consequence is, that 

 most of them are found full of straggling lob-sided trees, which 

 might have been straight and well-grown if proper attention had 

 been paid in due time to the pruning of them. 



Planting was formerly done by contract ; letting it to some of 

 the working men, at so much per 1000 for making the pits and 



