ANCIENT WOODS. 19 



them. If the Woodman's account were fairly 

 examined if a Dr. and Cr. balance sheet were 

 exhibited, it would be found that the land was 

 paying a very small rent indeed from the under- 

 wood, even where there might be very little oak, 

 which most assuredly ought not to be the case; 

 for I contend that there is no Ancient Woodland 

 which is not considerably below the average 

 quality of what I have seen, that is not quite 

 capable of growing a full crop either of under- 

 wood or of oak ; and for this plain reason, 

 viz. ; because the period of pecuniary sacrifice, 

 the infancy of the wood, is gone by : and 

 that woodman's management is essentially de- 

 fective, who cannot show, upon every acre 

 under his care, a good crop either of the one 

 or the other. I would here remark, that a full 

 crop of both cannot contemporaneously grow 

 up together; and this consideration is of far 

 more importance in the management of woods 

 than is at first sight imagined, or, than by a 



slight acquaintance with the subject would be 

 perceived. 

 D 



