32 ON THE PRESENT STATE AND PROSPECTS OF 



the forester goes through the coppice, and marks with paint all the 

 stems that are to remain. Owing to the closeness of the shoots, 

 it is difficult to penetrate the underwood, so that the selection is 

 laborious, and much time is occupied in the process. After the 

 reserved stems are mai'ked, the remainder are sold subject to such 

 conditions as will protect the vendor from damage, and insure the 

 fagots being removed within a reasonable time. All this is avoided 

 by the proprietor's own workmen cutting and converting the wood, 

 which may be exposed for sale in lots by the side of the nearest 

 roads. When this system is adopted, the best stems are left as 

 the work proceeds ; and any pruning required is attended to 

 at the same time. The stems have another thinning at the end of 

 the second period. In favourable soils and sheltered situations, 

 this cycle will be three or four years shorter than if these condi- 

 tions are reversed. In some cases, three, and even four, successive 

 thinnings at earlier periods are preferred, but as a nde two are 

 considered sufficient. Formerly, the usual custom was to thin in 

 spring, for the sake of the bark, but since the price has fallen it 

 has become a question whether or not this should be continued. 

 The profit from bark is very small, and the increased growth of 

 brushwood resulting from winter-cutting more than compensates 

 for the loss of its price. The final cutting takes place at from 

 thirty to forty years ; and it is considered satisfactory if the crop 

 pay an annual rent of £1 or £1, 10s. per acre. If we contrast 

 this with the Scottish system of growing oak coppice, we find the 

 financial results much alike ; and the system of double cropping 

 detailed in my previous report* compai*es favourably with either 

 of them. This sort of produce on Highclere is paying an annual 

 rental of upwards of £2, 10s. per acre on land not worth more 

 than 15 s. per acre for agricultural purposes. 



In districts remote from railway communication, where fuel is 

 dear, the chief consideration is often the production of firewood. 

 Coppice shoots of oak, hazel, birch, sweet chestnut, maple, 

 sycamore, ash, and hornbeam, are grown for this purpose, and cut 

 periodically at twelve or thirteen years old. The cultivation of 

 this crop is almost identical with that described for sheep cages 

 and wicker hurdles. The main diffei-ence is, that the oak-trees in 

 wicker-hurdle coppices are severely thinned to encourage the 

 growth of straight continuous stems ; whereas for firewood it 

 matters not how crooked the stems are, provided a large quantity 

 * See vol. vii., p. 165. 



