104 Forming woodland rides 



bushes like Azaleas. Bushes needing sun and warmth 

 might be grouped in such spots, and in districts where 

 the cold does not strike hard, as in a great length of the 

 shore-lands of our islands, other exotics might be tried. 

 But they should be chosen with care, and only for some 

 distinct quality. The incidents of the wood itself will 

 often offer the best places for our sunny spots, and there 

 might be small openings, too, in shade, suggested often 

 by wood-plants like Gerard's well-named Stubwort 

 [Oxalis) and Primroses. As high trees take the place 

 of underwood there is more need for woodland sun- 

 spots, and also for more open and airy rides, avoiding 

 always the too common way of thinning so that each 

 tree stands singly, a harmful though well-established 

 British practice, and against all profit or other good 

 from woodland. 



We may by studying carefully the lines of easiest 

 access and of grading in hilly districts, and the con- 

 venience of the varied labours or pleasures of the wood- 

 land, often gain a beautiful result. I have made many 

 miles of such rides and no like labour has ever given 

 me so good a return. Where the woodland is level the 

 work consists of taking out old and often worn-out stubs. 

 Where it is sloping it is more laborious, but even then 

 not difficult. Where the woods have been neglected and 

 are rather worn-out, it is often easy to get a good line 

 where the ground is bare of trees and thus avoid felling 

 timber. Sometimes we may take the ride under a great 

 group of Oaks or Beech-trees to enjoy the beauty of 

 their stems, and get a better effect than if we avoid 

 them. In some cases the result was so striking that 

 parts of the woods, before unnoticed, became picturesque 

 even in the eyes of artists ; the airy foreground and the 



