259 



to importation from the colonies. The law respecting the pine, is nearly the 

 same as enacted by Anne, but the penalty is reduced. 



The 6th of George 111., Chap. 36, is an Act for the better preservation of 

 timber and trees. It is enacted, that every person, not being the lawful owner, 

 who shall lop or top, cut or spoil, split down, damage, or otherwise destroy any 

 kind of wood, underwood, poles, stack of wood, green stubs, or young trees, or 

 carry or convey away the same, or shall have in their custody any such and shall 

 not be able to give a satisfactory account how they came by them, shall be 

 convicted before a magistrate on the oath of one or more credible witnesses, and 

 be fined for the first offence, any sum not exceeding 40s., with all costs ; for the 

 second, not exceeding 5 ; and for the third offence be deemed an incorrigible 

 rogue ; oak, beech, chestnut, walnut, ash, elm, cedar, fir, asp, lime, sycamore, and 

 birch, to be considered as timber. 



This Act was confirmed by Chap. 33 of the 13th of George III., which 

 further enacted, that poplars, alder, larch, maple, and hornbeam, should be 

 deemed timber trees. 



48th George III., Chap. 72, was for the better preservation of wood in the 

 forest of Dean, similar to that of the 19th of Charles II., Chap. 3, where 11,000 

 acres are directed to be kept enclosed in the foiest, and this Act enjoins 6,000 

 acres to be kept enclosed in the new forest, to be called nurseries for wood and 

 timber. When the wood in such enclosures is past danger from the browsing 

 of deer, etc., they may be laid open and other quantities enclosed. Every 

 person who shall unlawfully destroy, or take away, or break any timber shall 

 forfeit for the first offence 10, for the second 20, but the third offence is 

 felony, and incurs a punishment of transportation beyond seas for seven years. 



In 50 George III., we have an Act to extend and amend that of the 39th 

 and 40th of. the present reign for the preservation of timber in the New Forest, 

 and to ascertain its boundaries ; and another, Chap. 218, for disforesting the 

 forest of Bere in the County of Southampton. The waste land, it observes, had 

 been of great value and utility from the timber and underwood thereon, which 

 of late years, has been much injured, and in many parts totally destroyed. In 

 Sec. 64, it is enacted that no sheep, lambs, etc., be kept for ten years in any of 

 the enclosures of the forest of Bere, unless the owners protect their neighbors' 

 fences from such sheep, etc. 



In 52nd George III., an Act was passed for making perpetual that of the 

 12th for lowering the duty on bark, after it came to a certain price. 



The 10th of Charles I., Sec. 2, Chap. 23, referred to Ireland. By this it is 

 enacted, that for cutting, peeling, barking, or otherwise destroying trees, the 

 offenders shall be punished ; and if they be poor and unable to pay the fine, 

 they shall be whipped. If the constable refuse to execute the order of the justice 

 of the peace to whip the offender, he shall be imprisoned till he agrees to do so. 



10th William III., Chap. 12, enacted, among other things, that every person 

 having an estate of freehold of 10 a year, and every tenant for years having a 

 lease of eleven of those years unexpired, and paying .10 a year, shall plant or 

 cause to be planted, at seasonable times, yearly, and every year during the term 

 of thirty-one years, ten plants of four years' growth or more, of oak, fir, elm, ash, 

 walnut, poplar, abele, or elder, in some ditch or elsewhere on the said lands, and 

 preserve them from destruction. Every person or society having iron works 

 shall plant or cause to be planted in ground sufficiently well enclosed for this 

 purpose, five hundred trees of the aforesaid sorts on some of their ground yearly, 

 and every year during such time or term as they shall keep or have the said iron 

 works. Any person having 100 or more acres of land (plantation mtasure) or 

 other tenants in common, shall, over and above the ten trees, within seven years, 



