Workers in Woodcraft. 273 



n. 



THE CHARCOAL BURNERS. 



The humid climate of the north-west of England 

 is peculiarly favourable to the growth of coppice- 

 wood ; and scattered along the slopes of the 

 valleys copses prevail, consisting for the most 

 part of oak, ash, birch, and hazel. This growth 

 beautifully clothes the hill-slopes, and in addition 

 to taking away the bareness, brings to them 

 much animal and bird life ; and besides this, 

 the young timber is fairly remunerative. The 

 coppice woods are cut every fifteen years, and 

 the ground set apart to it pays about equal to 

 that devoted to grazing. This is owing to the 

 fact that every part of the wood is well suited 

 to some particular use, and finds a ready market. 

 What these uses are will be presently seen. 



As to the beauty and well-woodedness which 

 the copses give to the north-west valleys there 

 can be no question ; and that life abounds in 

 them which was foreign to the bare Fells is 

 made equally clear by traversing them at almost 

 any season of the year. Shelter they give, too, 

 which is always important in districts subject to 

 mountain storms. Metallic-lustred and brightly- 

 coloured lichens light up the floor of the wood, 

 the rabbits rustle through ; innumerable birds are 



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