ARBORICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF KENT. 101 



soil, is that of planting larch for timber among coppice. This is 

 a system adopted on several estates of late years, but unfortunately 

 the foresters have been compelled to abandon it on account of 

 depreciations by ground game. Larch was planted in the open 

 spaces at the rate of twenty plants per acre, 4 to 5 feet high, 

 strong and well rooted. The result is, that not 5 per cent, are 

 now alive ; only the largest plants have escaped being destroyed 

 by hares and rabbits. Where ground game is less abundant, this 

 woidd be the most remunerative system in this part of England. 

 Thirty or forty years ago it was adopted ; and in several places 

 handsome larch trees stand at wide intervals among fine chestnut 

 coppice, worth £30 in ten years. They are thinned at each fall 

 of underwood, to prevent the coppice being too much shaded. 

 The upright habit of the larch conduces to the growth of the 

 coppice when trimmed up to the height of 15 or 18 feet. Its 

 linear leaves do not exclude light and air. Its roots run shallow 

 in the soil, drawing food from the surface, while the Spanish 

 chestnut root is more of the nature of the oak, drawing nourish- 

 ment from a greater depth. Under this system chestnut hop poles 

 may be seen growing luxuriantly close to the stem of the larch. 

 On the whole, I think, that in Kent the yield of revenue from 

 woods and coppices can be compared favourably with that of any 

 other county of Britain, where coppice is entirely ignored, and 

 nothing but timber grown. In such counties hundreds of loads 

 of firewood lie and rot in the woods as of no value, while here the 

 smallest twig forms a source of profit. In Kent underwood is 

 preferred to timber growing, as the returns are larger, quicker, 

 and more certain ; and by the annual increase in demand for hop 

 poles, great inducements are offered to make new coppice planta- 

 tions. These will not lose their value so long as hops continue 

 to be cultivated ; and as these have maintained their position for 

 over two and a half centuries, there is little reason to anticipate 

 their failure. On the contrary, the acreage is annually increas- 

 ing; and to keep pace with this increase, fast-growing coppices 

 are now cut two, and in some cases three years earlier than they 

 used to be. Hop growers find that they get a better crop of 

 hops by what is called under-poling, or using shorter poles, thereby 

 enabling foresters to cut the coppice two years earlier. If coppice 

 can be cut at nine years old, which used to stand till eleven, two 

 years are gained at first cutting, while the coppice will be ready 

 four years earlier next cutting. 



