FORESTRY 



As to the Wold district of this county, south-east of the forest, on the five estates belonging to 

 Earl Manvers, Lord Helper, and Messrs. Robertson, Warner, and W. P. Paget, in the parishes of 

 Cotgrave, West Leake, Widmerpool, Wysall, and Normanton upon. Soar, at least 1,000 acres have 

 been tree-planted in the last thirty years. It is thought that the thinnings of these plantations, after 

 expenses of felling and sale are paid, amount annually to double the rent of a good deal of land in 

 Gotham, Bunny, and some other parishes that have not been planted. 1 



Official statistics are strongly confirmatory of the considerable growth of the wooded area of 

 Nottinghamshire in the last quarter of a century. In 1891 the woods of the county, exclusive of 

 plantations, covered 25,819 acres ; and the plantations that is, those that have been planted during 

 the last fifteen years covered an additional area of 2,027 acres. The total, therefore, in 1891 was 

 27, 846 acres. A great stride was made between that year and 1888, for in the latter year the total 

 was only 24,254. 



The agricultural returns for 1895 give the area of wood, excepting plantations, as 27,269, 

 whilst the area of recent planting brought the full total up to 28,517. 



The returns for the last decade, as estimated in June, 1905, show a further gain in Notting- 

 hamshire woodland of nearly 2,000 acres. It is there set forth as coppice 489 acres, plantations 

 1,404, and other woods 28,540, giving a total under woodland of 30,433 acres. 



From all this varied information, Nottinghamshire may be safely placed among the compara- 

 tively few counties in which the woodlands have largely increased during the past hundred years. 

 But this increase is almost entirely due (save to a limited extent on the wolds) to what may be 

 termed the luxurious value of forest trees and coverts, that is to say, to the beauty of woodland land- 

 scape, and to its assistance in the maintaining of game. The initial difficulty in tree-planting on 

 private property, from a commercial standpoint, is the sinking of capital for such a distant and 

 somewhat problematical return, for most people live in the present. It is, therefore, generally thought 

 by those competent to form an opinion that a commercial return from arboriculture (save in 

 exceptional circumstances) can only be expected, under existing legislation, on suitable crown lands 

 or on those of such corporations as the Ecclesiastical Commissioners. 



between themselves which is to be the best tree. I believe this method on a large enough scale would 

 pay a very good profit at the end of the century. 



There should be no rating or taxation of woodlands till the crop is felled, when this burden 

 falls on the proper person alone able to bear it. 



I advocate very strongly shelter plantations and trees on pasture lands, especially upland pastures 

 as a shelter for stock. I know from experience such pastures will carry stock two or three months 

 longer than more exposed fields in the immediate vicinity.' 

 1 From the information of the Hon. F. Strutt, to whom we are otherwise particularly indebted. 



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