202 ENGLISH ESTATE FORESTRY 



impossible to plant and protect them from ground game 

 without going to greater expense than would be the case 

 with larger areas. With fairly large areas, again, rides and 

 roads can be kept in much better condition than when the 

 entire woodland area is continually being hauled over and cut 

 up in removing small lots of timber. 



But, after all is said and done, the question remains : 

 Will a working plan prevent that constant pilfering which 

 goes on from all age classes, and especially the younger ones, 

 to meet estate requirements ? Can estate owners, agents, 

 and foresters resist the temptation to swell current returns 

 by anticipating the future yield of each unit or series of age 

 classes ? If these hindrances to profitable forestry could be 

 removed, whether by working plans or otherwise, then the 

 success of most English woods as producers of timber and 

 yielders of rent would be assured. But, so long as it exists 

 in its present form, English forestry will probably show little 

 if any improvement from a financial point of view, for a 

 reduction of capital or growing stock will sooner or later end 

 in a reduced income. 



