ANCIENT WOODS. 15 



etor throws out of his own hands that control 

 which a gentleman ought to have over e very- 

 person who enters his woods, whether as a pur- 

 chaser or as a workman. This control is abso- 

 lutely necessary in order to secure two things, 

 for which Conditions of Sale, however well they 

 may be drawn up, offer but a very feeble secu- 

 rity I mean the prevention of entry by teams, fyc. 

 at an improper season, and the clearing of the 

 Woods at a given time. There are other reasons 

 which apply more or less strongly, according to 

 the condition of the wood, as to its stock, and 

 the staple of its soil. Carting, or rather team- 

 ing, for carts are not often used, will inevitably 

 do much injury in woods that are well stocked, 

 if the utmost possible care is not taken, what- 

 ever the soil may be ; but if it be a tenacious, 

 retentive, cold, clay, damage would be done in two 

 ways: viz.: in the poaching of the land, and in 

 that which would be done to the stock by the 

 wheels. The injury to which woods are liable from 

 these two causes, and others, may be almost wholly 

 prevented by the active supervision of an intelligent 

 woodman. Such a person will take care to divide 



