ANCIENT WOODS. 31 



they are often, nay almost always, on clayey, 

 retentive soils, ruined with water : they are peri- 

 odically shut up, for from eighteen to twenty -five 

 years, during which time, it is impossible to do 

 any thing at them ; and, when they are cleared 

 of the underwood, instead of the opportunity being 

 gratefully seized, for the purpose of effecting those 

 operations which can only be carried on at such 

 a time, they are shut up again, and left in their 

 original state except indeed they may have been 

 despoiled of some of their oak nothing being done 

 at them, or, if any thing, probably so little, or so 

 ill done, that no good result is produced. But 

 what ought to be the course pursued at such a 

 time ? Why, as it is only during the year of 

 ' 'nagging," and the following season, that any 

 work of magnitude, any improvement worth men- 

 tioning, can be carried on ; a proprietor should 

 more carefully examine his woods when they have 

 been cut, than he would any other description of 

 property : he should himself, if he understand it 

 which, however, is very seldom the case or if he 

 do not, by a person who is conversant with such 

 matters, make a most rigid, and particular survey, 



