'.'-3 



:is 



WOODS AM" r.i|;|-.STS. 



981 



promoted, it may probably increase en much an to pay a good interest 

 ou it* value; in which cose it would be n loss to cut it. There ia a 

 In n the increase of the wood in a tree ia a maximum, and this 

 depend* on soil and situation. Tin- head and branche* contribute 

 much t the growth of the trunk ; and iiiiU-.su they have i 

 spread, the increase derived from the action of the leaves must be 

 checked. On this depends the practice of gradually thinning out young 

 woods as the branches spread, the object being to let in as much air as 

 is necessary, without leaving too great a space between the head of n.- 

 tree and its neighbours. As soon as the branches begin to approach 

 towards those of another tree, room must be mode, by cutting out 

 those trees which appear inferior in shape or in health. In the manage- 

 ment of young plantations [PlAITOOL it is a question whether it is 

 more profitable to cut down trees at uie age of thirty or forty years 

 and replace them with young plants, or to let them arrive at their full 

 size, which, for oaks, will take 150 or 200 years. The calculation is 

 made ou the annual increase of the wood, which is said to be greatest 

 when the tree is about thirty years old. It has been often supposed 

 that the slower a tree grows the stronger the wood will be; but this 

 appears to be a mistake. Some wood taken from a very rapidly- 

 growing oak, and some from one which, having been headed down 

 as a pollard, had grown slowly, were tried by the action of a very 

 powerful hydraulic press, and the wood of the quicker-growing tree 

 was found to resist the pressure much longer before it was broken or 

 crushed. 



Although it U generally on soils unfit for cultivation that plantations 

 of wood are made, yet there are proofs that, on a deep rich soil worth 

 II. an acre as arable land, a plantation of oaks, well managed for fifty 

 or sixty years, will pay a better rent than if it had been cultivated 

 as a farm. On such land it is usual to plant oaks in the hedge-rows, 

 where the trees, having room both for their branches and their routs, 

 thrive well at the expense of the farmer. Most old farms consist of 

 small inclosurcs surrounded with trees, chiefly oak, ash, and elm, 

 according to the soil ; and the landlord, having the benefit of their 

 growth, only cuts them when fit for sale. The tenant is scarcely 

 aware of the annual loss he suffers from the shade of the trees, as well 

 as the exhaustion of his manure by the roots. If the inulosures are of 

 the extent of twenty acres or more, a few trees here and there in the 

 bonks will not do much harm ; but it would be far more advantageous 

 to all pnrties if t! ! plantations were entirely separated from 



the aiaj le laud. A few single trees here and there in old pastures arc 

 both ornamental and useful as shelter for the cattle ; but they should 

 be extirpated in all arable fields. Clumps and woods may > 

 pictures in the scenery, whereas a country consisting of small inclosures 

 surrounded with trees only looks like an immense wood when seen 

 from a small eminence. 



Trees of full size are sometimes transplanted to form shelter and 

 ornament to parks and pleasure grounds. Sir Joseph Banks made 

 some experiments in his grounds near Brentford, by cutting off the 

 heads of old elm trees and transplanting the trunks by way of keeping 

 up a proportion between the head and the roots, in the expectation of 

 their growing out, but it failed entirely. Sir James Stuart MouU-ith, in 

 Scotland, succeeded better by retaining the head, and saving, as much 

 as possible, all the fibres of the roots. The removal of large 1 1 

 troublesome and expensive process, but is often desirable In- the pr<> 

 duction of immediate effect, as in laying-out parks and pleasure-grounds, 

 or in landscape gardening generally. The method now usually adopted 

 in briefly described under I'I.AMIV 



Wood is too valuable in Britain to be used for fuel, except in very 



' and woody district-. Coals have everywhere superseded it ; 



but wherever woods are cut down, anil especially where tlie roots are 



grubbed up, they give an excellent and economical fuel for the poor, 



or to use in the lime and brick kilns. \Vhere old hedge-rows arc 



cleared in the progress of agriculture, it is a common practice to 



give the stumps and roots found in old banks to the poor, for the 



trouble of grubbing them up and levelling the ground. This work 



is generally done in winter; and >.ed into cords six 



t wide, and three feet high. 



In France and oilier countries where they use chiefly wood for 



fuel, the trees which are preferred are beech-trees, which are allowed 



to grow very el. .re in the woods, so as to draw each other up and 



form long thin stem* They are cut down when about thirty or forty 



years old, and then dn iv>t avurage a foot in diameter; they arc sawn 



in lengths of a yard, and thus sold, the purchaser generally having 



-awn into .-horter lengths and split for use. In 1'nris the 



i w..od is \- I employs many hand.. 



>I>s AM> KUHKSTS. A considerable portion of the royal 



>-isU-d formerly of the rents and profit* of the crown 



I numerous ]oninhip.i and honours, t> 



with forest .: Mom ' the principal soun e of 



'vied for oll'i-nees Bgainet the 



- ] The demi .-ne lauds which were retained 



king or v (> the crown by forfeiture or oth 



and were fanned out to subjects, ! ly very extensive ; but 



owing to the generosity or the ne nir.-rent kings, so large 



port of them was granted away, that the legislature was fie- 



ipieiitly compelled to interpose iU authority in order to prevent the 



total alienation of the crown projwrty. William III. had used the 



power of alienation so profusely, that upon the accession of his suc- 

 cessor, it was enacted (1 Anne, st. I, c. 7) that no grant or lease 

 should be made of any crown lands for a longer term than thirty-one 

 years or three lives, but permitting house*, Ac., to be let for fifty 



: ; 



!. 26 Geo. III., c. 87, amended by SO Oeo. III., c. 50, commis- 

 sioners were appointed to inquire into the state and condition of the 

 woods, forests, and land revenues belonging to the crown. By the 



III...'. ]!-.! (alter, d l.y the SO Geo. III., c. 65), an office of 

 surveyor-general of his Majesty's works and public buildings was 

 created ; but this and some other office* were incorporated with that 

 of "the Commissioners of her Majesty's Woods, Forests, Land 

 Revenues, Works and Buildings" (2 Will. IV. c. 1, s. 1), who were 

 called " the Commissioners of Woods and Forests," which office or 

 board owed its shape to the statute 10 Ceo. IV., e. .".n (amended and 

 extended by 2 Will. IV., c. 1 ; 2 & 3 Will. IV., c. ll'J; and 344 

 Will. IV., c. 69). The commissioners, who were not to exceed 

 in number, arc appointed by letters patent ('1 Will. IV., c. 1. 

 They are to make a declaration (5 & U Will. IV., c. 62, s. 2, in lieu of 

 the oath required formerly, '2 Will. IV., c. 1, s. 6) that they will 

 faithfully and diligently execute the duties of commissioners. 



Their powers are very large. The whole of the possess] 

 advowsons) and hind revenues of the crown in Kni:l.uid, Ireland 

 (10 Geo. IV., c. 50, s. 8), and Scotland (2 & 3 Will. IV., c. 112 ; 3 ft 4 

 Will. IV., c. 69) are under their management; but the }>/ 

 therein still remains in the crown. (1 'Q. B. Hep.,' 352.) They are 

 required, however, to observe nil the orders and directions 

 Lords of the Treasury touching the exercise of their powers (2 Will. 

 IV., c. 1, s. 3). 



The commissioners have the power of appointing and removing 

 various officers, such as receivers, surveyors, &c., whose salaries how- 

 ever are fixed by the Treasury (10 Geo. IV., c. 50, s. 12). They may 

 also appoint stewards of the royal hundreds and manors to hold courts, 

 and different umuerial and forestal officers to preserve game, fish, &c. ; 

 and they may grant licences to hunt, fish, &c. (Id., s. 14). 



They are cinjiowered to grant leases of any part of the crown posses- 

 sions for thirty-one years (10 Geo. IV., c. 50, s. 22); or, in case of 

 houses, buildings, &c., or building-land, for ninety-nine years (Id., 

 s. 23); but this power of leasing docs not extend to the 

 in England (Id., s. 2.".), except for the purpose of making railroads (Id., 

 B. 97). The leases are required to contain certain specified pro\ 

 and the lessees are not to be made dispunishable for waste, except in 

 leases of mines, and at the option of the commissioner- in leases for 

 ninety-nine years (Id., s. 27). The leases are to be granted at a rack- 

 rent, and no fine is to be reserved (Id., 6. '.' in l.uilding leases, 

 in which a nominal rent may be reserved for the lii .- r-i (Id.. 

 s. 30), and a fine may be taken not exceeding one-third of th 

 (Id.,*. 81). 



They may also tell any part of the crown possessions, except the 

 forests (Id., s. 34), according to a mode pointed out (s. 36) ; and they 

 may also sell rents, or mancrial or forestal rights, to corporations, or 

 trustees of incapacitated persons, who have estates subject i ' 

 (ss. 39, 40). 



They may <VV/I;K,C or jiiireiiott lands, &c. (Id., ss. 42, 52, 98). 



They are declared to be exempt from all personal responsibility as to 

 any covenants or contracts they may enter into in their official cha- 

 racter (Id., s. 17). 



All deeds relating to lands, &c., leased, &c., by the authority of the 

 commissioners are required to be enrolled in the o;Iicv of Land )! 

 Records and Inrolmcnt* (Id (ie,i. IV., c. 50, s. 63; 2 Will. IV., c. 1, 

 ss. 16, 18, '21), and to 1>. ii.--ionrrs to pailiament 



0, s. \'2,i) ; and all coin. 



such lands ore to be free from stamp and auction duty (1" (i.o. |\ '., 

 c. 50, ss. G7, 68). 



The commissioners are also empowered to give certain notices and 

 claims, and to authorise entries on land for breach of covenant, 4c. 

 (10 Geo. IV., c. 50, s. 'J'2), and to compound, in certain co.-. . for rent 

 (Id., s. : 



Their accounts are to be audited by the commissioners for a> 

 public accounts, under the 25 Geo. III., c. 52 (10 Geo. IV., 

 s. 19). 



The receivers appointed by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests 

 must be laud-surveyors (Id., s. 80). They are required to account at 

 stated periods to the commissioners (Id., s. SI), and to transmit all 

 Htuiis rec'-ivcd monthly <*. Ml ; and they are empowered to distrain for 

 rent (s. 90). 



Notwithstanding the management of the crown lands is thus 

 in the commissioners, and the general power of alienation has been 

 taken from the sovereign, a power is reserved to the crown to grant sites 

 for churches, chapels, and burial grounds, not exceeding five aer< ; in 

 extent, or lOOttl. in value (10 Geo. IV., c. ;>0, s. 45); and by 1 & 2 

 Will. IV., c. 59, s. 1, churchwardens and overseers are empowered, with 

 the consent of the Lords of the Treasury, t> inclose a portion not 

 exceeding fifty acres of any forest or waste 1 to the 



crown, lying in or near their parish, for the purpose of cultivating 

 the same for the use of the p 



Besides this general control over the crown lands, certain |w< 

 given to the commissioners which are referable to the execution of the 



