SKETCH OF WORKING-PLAN. 63 



species will be planted in large blocks of the same age. The 

 division of the ground into the three classes of larch ground, 

 spruce ground and Scots-pine ground, is general, and merely 

 intended to show the capabilities of the soil. In the Detailed 

 Working-plan, each year's planting will be dealt with, and all 

 particulars as to the exact proportion of the different species, etc., 

 will be set forth at length, so that in the areas at present marked 

 in Map No. 2 as all larch, or all spruce, larch, or spruce will form 

 the bulk of the crop ; but the principle will be rigidly followed of 

 forming groups of species best suited to each particular part of 

 the ground. The size of the groups will be kept within the 

 limits demanded by good silviculture, and where larger areas 

 are suited to a single species, a difference in age of contiguous 

 groups must be provided for. 



Fencing. — It will be necessary to erect deer fences round a 

 considerable part of the plantations. In places a sheep fence 

 is all that is necessary. As large areas will be enclosed at a 

 time, the expenditure per acre will not be heavy. The deer 

 fences must be maintained for a period of at least fifteen years. 

 Details as to the cost of fencing in the first instance are to be 

 found in Chapter VII. At a later period it may be possible to 

 materially reduce the cost of protecting the plantations. Where 

 fencing becomes necessary later on, temporary fences made from 

 the first thinnings of the woods may be run up, as is done in 

 Saxony. 



Draining. — The natural drainage of the land is good on 

 the whole, and much of it will need little attention. It will, how- 

 ever, be necessary to cut drains in some places, in order that 

 compartments may be completed. Any areas where extensive 

 draining would be necessary should be left unplanted meantime, 

 as it would not be advisable to incur a heavy expenditure in 

 this direction, till such time as the bulk of the good land is 

 planted. These patches of wet land may be attended to at any 

 convenient time later on. It must be understood, liowever, that 

 where draining is to be done at all, it must be done thoroughly. 

 In this comparatively moist district, half-measures in draining 

 would be useless. The policy must be to drain properly in the 

 small areas undertaken, and to leave the rest of the wet ground 

 till such time as it too can be adequately dealt with. In the 

 first period, the cost of draining should not exceed 5s. per acre on 

 an averat^e. 



