NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL UNDERCOVER FOR GAME. 55 
to leave the best specimen trees, by cutting out all the poor trees 
and everything that is crushed up. All the tall, lanky underwood 
should also be cut out, so as to get a fresh growth from the stools. 
By these means an additional supply of ght and air will be 
obtained, and the conditions will be much more favourable for all 
sorts of undergrowth. If any of the underwood is of a thick, bushy 
habit of growth, it is advisable to cut it off from 3 to 4 feet above 
the level of the ground, thereby forming nice compact bushes at 
once. 
Elder bushes, if not too lanky, can be made into splendid cover 
by cutting them about half.through near the ground, and afterwards 
bending them down. ‘They will then throw up a mass of young 
shoots from the root and all along the stem; while fern, bracken, 
briers, and other rubbish will grow up through them, forming a 
good hide for game. Hazel, birch, alder, oak, thorn, beech, elim, 
etc., can all be treated in the same way, provided rabbits are not 
very numerous. 
When the felling has been completed, the standard trees ought to 
be pruned. If this operation is properly carried out, and all the 
dead, broken, and superfluous branches neatly cut off, it will 
greatly improve the appearance of the job. If, after having removed 
the timber and all the useful brushwood, planting is decided on, all 
the remaining rubbish ought to be burned up so as to effect a clear- 
ance. It must be kept in mind, however, that a good many 
gamekeepers prefer to have some rubbish littered about the bottom, 
and there is no doubt it is useful for nesting, etc.; but if any 
rubbish is left where planting is to be carried on, it should be 
piled round the stems of the standing trees, so as to leave all the 
open ground available for planting. At this stage all drains in the 
cover should be put into proper working order, and the fences 
repaired where necessary. 
The foregoing operations should be completed, if possible- 
between the months of November and March, because if done then 
the underwood will throw up a much stronger growth from the 
stools than it would do if cut during the growing season. 
If there should be a fair quantity of oak to fell during the 
thinning, it would likely be advisable to clear out all the under- 
wood and other trees first. The oak could then be felled during 
the peeling season—for a few tons of bark are a consideration— 
and the clearing up could be done afterwards, in readiness for 
planting next season. Rabbits should be kept well down for a 
