ANCIENT WOODS. 39 



be the anxious concern of the woodman to provide, 

 as well as he possibly can, for the effectual drain- 

 age of a wood after being felled, not only during 

 a year or two, but for the term of the whole cycle. 

 Of course I am aware that the leaves must fall, 

 and, consequently, that the free egress of the 

 water must, in some ^degree, be impeded, but, 

 nevertheless, it is in the power of the woodman to 

 provide, in a great measure, if not wholly, against 

 this contingency, by making a sufficient number 

 of ditches, of ample capacity, and by putting them 

 in the best direction. But instead of this, it will 

 very rarely be found, as I have just now said, 

 that even the outside ditches are properly attended 

 to. The consequence is, that the oaks, and our 

 best underwood, the ash, not liking too much 

 moisture, become diseased, and make compara- 

 tively slow progress: in fact, their existence is 

 shortened by it, as the former will be found upon 

 cold clay land, having a strong subsoil, to be very 

 stunted and sickly in their appearance, and ulti- 

 mately to die at the top, when, of course, they 

 must be cut down; while the latter will much 

 sooner become hollow, and they too, will finally 



