THE NFAV FORESTRY. 



CHAPTER II. 



FORESTRY AND GAME DEPARTMENTS ON 

 ESTATES; SUGGESTED REORGANISATION. 



General Remarks. Pheasant Coverts in Dense Woods. Trees and Shrubs 

 that produce fruits eaten by Pheasants. Artificial System of Rearing 

 Pheasants. The Wild or Natural System. Rabbits. 



SECTION I. GENERAL REMARKS. 



THE object of introducing the subject of game preservation 

 in a book on forestry, is to suggest, if possible, some plan 

 by which the woods and game departments might be combined 

 and managed under one intelligent and responsible head, 

 instead of, as hitherto, being conducted separately to the 

 disadvantage of both. Until something of this kind is 

 attempted there is little or no chance of successful forestry 

 in this country, and it is the duty of any forester to draw the 

 attention of proprietors to the subject which is discussed here 

 at some length, especially in regard to keepers' methods, 

 simply with the view of making the proposed reorganisation 

 easier. The results of the present system have been 

 disastrous in the past to woods and plantations on estates, 

 while the gamekeeping has not been up to the mark, although 

 usually conducted on prodigal lines compared to other 

 departments on estates. Every forester and every writer on 

 forestry has lamented the hindrances to good forestry through 

 perfectly preventable causes in connection with game preserva- 

 tion. Foresters in charge of woods are forced to concern 

 themselves in the matter, and owners of woods only need to 

 realise the actual state of affairs to see the need of reorganisa- 

 tion in some form or other. Gamekeepers whose interest in 

 their charge does not extend to the future, like those of the 

 forester or farmer, and the results of whose work can be 

 measured annually rarely concern themselves about their 

 masters' plantations, or anything else not connected with their 

 own charge, and rarely assist the forester willingly to protect 

 the woods and plantations. It was the gamekeeper, not his 



