92 STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL chap. 



permanent, and picturesque. Unpainted wood and stone, 

 both as bold and substantial as possible, should alone be 

 employed, brick being, whenever possible, avoided as both 

 commonplace and unsightly. Wherever possible, earth- 

 work or natural masses of rock should be used, so as to 

 blend imperceptibly with the surrounding forest scenery. 

 Among the works absolutely needed for the enjoyment of 

 the forest are numerous footpaths ; and these should be 

 systematically laid out in connection with broader " rides " 

 traversing the larger wooded tracts between well-marked 

 points on either border, thus serving as a means of extri- 

 cating any unfortunate tourist who may have lost his way. 

 Grassy or shrubby openings might also be occasionally 

 formed in the most densely wooded portions, such clear 

 spaces being very pleasing, admitting air and sunshine, 

 and forming agreeable contrasts. Trees which are any 

 way remarkable for their age, size, or picturesque beauty 

 should be cleared of surrounding thicket, so that they ma}^ 

 be properly seen and admired ; and this comprises nearly 

 all that need be done here, beyond the ordinary foresters 

 duty of keeping up a sufficient stock of healthy young 

 trees to supply the place of those which die or are acci- 

 dentally destroyed. 



Among the powers conferred upon the conservators is 

 that of draining where needed, and as very great miscon- 

 ception prevails on this subject a few remarks here may 

 not be out of place. People have been so accustomed to 

 hear "draining" spoken. of as one of the greatest and 

 most necessary of improvements, that they may not 

 unnaturally think it equally necessary in a forest as in a 

 farm or private estate. It is true that where some 

 particular timber is to be grown for profit, draining may 

 be necessary, but when you only require trees growing 

 naturally, so as to produce beauty and picturesque effects, 

 then every variety of soil and every degree of moisture 

 are beneficial. Forests as a rule grow better in damp than 

 in dry soils, and there is no ground so wet that some kinds 

 of trees will not flourish in it. It is only necessary, there- 

 fore, to plant the right kinds of trees, and the wet places 

 may be covered with wood even more quickly than the dry. 



