20 ANCIENT WOODS. 



If there is found in a wood a superabundance 

 ,of oaks, and if they are seen to be thrifty, nothing 

 could possibly be so ill judged as to thin them too 

 freely ^ even though the crop of underwood were 

 entirely sacrificed; for, the very objects most to 

 be desired, can only be attained by bringing about 

 that state of things which is here supposed, and 

 which necessarily involves the sacrifice of the 

 underwood, or, at the least, all idea of any con- 

 siderable profit from it. Under these circumstan- 

 ces, the exertions of the skilful Woodman will be 

 directed to the securing of great length of bole or 

 stem; for these, and these alone, are the trees 

 which have any legitimate right to a place in 

 a wood : and, of course, the longer their boles 

 are, the better. 



Having attained this object, the woodman will 

 then anxiously employ the best means in his 

 power, for encouraging the growth of the under- 

 wood, so far as, at least, to keep it alive, and as 

 healthy as possible ; and if he have well considered 

 the subject, he will have contrived to lay down a 

 plan, a regularly systematic plan, that his suc- 

 cessors can neither mistake, nor, without some 



