36 ENGLISH ESTATE FORESTRY 



production of oak for the navy, combined with coppice or 

 underwood. The majority of species which usually form a 

 modern plantation nowadays were then unknown, or were 

 too scarce to be used in ordinary planting, and indigenous 

 species had to be used almost exclusively. Pheasants and 

 ground game were not the chief reason the landowner had for 

 maintaining woods, and the economic value of the latter was 

 a primary consideration, although sylviculture was imper- 

 fectly understood and its principles not always recognised. 

 At the present day the landowner usually maintains his 

 woods with an eye to game preserving as much as timber 

 growing, and it will usually be found that their management 

 is indirectly, if not directly, influenced by the opinion of 

 the gamekeeper. The aim of this functionary is to get as 

 large a head of fur and feather on the area allotted to him 

 as possible, and it is easily understood how impossible any- 

 thing like economic forestry becomes under such conditions. 

 Under existing social conditions, country sport has developed 

 from a luxury into a necessity for the wealthy classes, and 

 it is difficult to see how any substitute can be found for it. 

 Shooting is one of those recreations which can be indulged 

 in by both young and old, and it is a recreation peculiarly 

 associated with woods. Any suggestion which is likely to 

 affect this sport unfavourably has little chance of being 

 acted upon, and, whatever system of forestry be adopted, 

 its most essential feature must be its capability of existing 

 in the company of the pheasant and rabbit. It is to be 

 feared that many forestry enthusiasts lose sight of this fact. 

 They are apt to argue that the proper function of woods is 

 to produce timber, and that game should be a secondary 

 consideration only. Theoretically this is, no doubt, correct ; 

 but facts cannot be denied, and in English forestry these 

 all point to the opposite conclusion. The rearing and 

 existence of pheasants do not interfere necessarily with 

 successful forestry, but experience proves that rabbits and 

 pheasants invariably go together, and that it is useless to 

 rely upon repressive measures against rabbits being main- 

 tained so long as they are entrusted to the gamekeeper. 

 Although a pretence is made of keeping them down by 

 ferreting in the spring, after the regular shooting season 



