4 S Y L V A BOOK in 



roots will pay for the grubbing, and yield you some 

 feet of the best timber ; whereas being let stand, 

 nothing would have grown : If the ground be a 

 shallow soil, forbear filling the holes quite, but set 

 some running-wood in the loosened earth, and the 

 ends of the old roots being cut, will furnish the sides 

 of the holes speedily : In thin copp'ces 'tis profitable 

 to lay some boughs a-thwart, which will be rooted 

 to advantage against next fall : All great rotten stubs 

 among our under-woods should be extirpated, as 

 making way for seedlings, and young roots to spring 

 and run : The cutting, slanting, smooth, and close, 

 is of great importance ; and frequent felling gives 

 way and air to the subnascent seedlings, and the rest 

 will make lusty shoots. 



3. As to what numbers and scantlings you are to 

 leave on every acre, the statutes are our general 

 guides, at least the legal. It is a very ordinary copp'ce, 

 which will not afford three or four firsts, that is, 

 bests ; fourteen seconds, twelve thirds, eight wavers, 

 Gfc. according to which proportions, the sizes of 

 young trees in copp'cing, are to succeed one another. 

 By the statute of 35 Hen. 8. in copp'ces, or under- 

 woods fell'd at twenty four years growth, there were 

 to be left twelve standils, or stores of oak, upon each 

 acre ; in defect of so many oaks, the same number 

 of elms, ash, asp, or beech ; and they to be such, as 

 are of likely trees for timber, and of such as have 

 been spar'd at some former felling, unless there were 

 none, in which case, they are to be then left, and so 

 to continue without felling, till they are ten inch 

 square within a yard of ground. Copp'ces above 

 this growth fell'd, to leave twelve great oaks ; or in 

 defect of them, other timber-trees (as above) and so 



