80 THE LARCH. 



particular before proceeding with any important opera- 

 tions of work. The late Earl Delawar, Buckhurst 

 Park, Sussex, than whom few noblemen took so lively 

 an interest in their woods, allowed his foresters on 

 entering duty to devote several weeks in making them- 

 selves master of all details, or, in other words, to draw 

 out a report for their own future guidance and direc- 

 tion. It is from practice similarly gained that the 

 tables in this work have been constructed, and as they 

 have proved invaluable to the writer, he hopes they 

 may equally benefit those who peruse them. Before 

 proceeding to explain the use of the tables and their 

 contents, the writer would earnestly recommend those 

 concerned to study closely and deeply every branch of 

 arboriculture that may fall under theh notice before 

 entering on the active duties of forestry ; and no better 

 practice could well be recommended than filling blank 

 sheets of each of the appended tables from those planta- 

 tions of which they are to take the future charge. 



By referring to Table ISTo. I., p. 104, it will be seen 

 that its general use is to form a condensed statement 

 of all the woods upon an estate. 



On the left-hand side will be found a column 

 of figures, which are either real or supposed, accord- 

 ing as the plantations are numbered or named. On 

 some estates the names of the plantations, with the 

 dates of planting, are cast upon metal plates, and fixed 

 upon large stones in certain conspicuous parts of the 

 plantations — the stone and plate painted white, and the 

 figures and letters black, which makes them easily 



