t 140 ] 



Value of the adjoining land, in an arable, or pasture state; and the 

 profit arising from the new planted hills, particularly the sandy- 

 parts of them, has been in many instances near ten per cent, on the 

 original expence of planting and fencing. 



Surely no greater inducement can be held out to the owners to 

 preserve the old woods, or to plant new ones, in soils and situa- 

 tions so favorable to their growth ; and in a country that would 

 suffer very materially for want of wood, if deprived of this re- 

 source. 



But as the profit arising from these woods depends very much on 

 the mode of management, it will not be thought improper to give 

 a few general rules, taken from the appearance of such of those 

 woods as are nuell managed, to the owners of those woods that have 

 a very different appearance ; and that appearance not occasioned by 

 any apparent disadvantages of soil or situation. 



The natural defect of these woods, particularly that part of them 

 which abounds with oak timber, has already been stated to be the 

 blowness of their growth. This proceeds from three causes. 



1st. The native coldness of the soil. 



2d. The exposure of a great part of the woods to the south 

 west wind. 



And, 3. The injury the woods receive from cattle. 



In proportion as these defects have been obviated by art, the 

 wcods may be said to be well, or ill managed. Draining the cold, 

 wet parts of them, ts the obvious remedy of the first mentioned 

 defect. Screening them from winds, by skirting with Scotch fir, 

 and other hardy plants, and keeping them moderately thick of 

 timber, are the best remedies for the second. But both these re- 

 medies will be useless, unless a strict attention be paid to the 

 fences, so as to keep the woods from being cropped by cattle. 

 This is particularly hurtful to slow growing timber, and by it these 

 woods, (though in very few instances subject to common rights) 

 are very materially injured. » 



Wherever, as is the case in the greatest part of the woods, oak 

 timber is the natural produce of the soil, it should by all means be 

 encouraged, and as its growth to a certain period is usually very 

 rapid, and afterwards altogether as slow, it should be cut when 



that 



