Pheasants Coverts. 51 



to be tenant, and not owner, of his estate, he will meet with 

 endless opposition should he seek to cut out these paths ; 

 however, tact and resolution in pursuing the desired end 

 will work wonders. There is this advantage, moreover, that 

 a tenant rarely goes to work in the wholesale manner in 

 which some owners do, the result being more harm than 

 good. The chief aim in cutting a drive is to secure 

 positions from which fair shots can be had at either furred 

 or feathered quarry, and to provide easy access to such 

 portions of the covert as may be desirable. The great 

 evil to be avoided is the opening up of the covert to the 

 weather. There is a bad quarter everywhere, and the 

 storms from this quarter should never be able to hit straight 

 into the heart and home of the stock and the centre of the 

 covert ; otherwise there is an end to anything like a head of 

 game and a thriving wood. 



The next point is the thinning out of, and adding to, the 

 trees. Wherever there is a blank space it should be filled 

 up, and the best way to do this is to dig out one or more 

 hollows to a depth of about three or four feet beneath the 

 level of the soil, and plant three or four silver fir or spruce in 

 the centre. They will soon grow up beneath the shadow 

 possibly of others around them. The thinning out is a 

 more critical affair than many think. The great aim is 

 to preserve an even thickness of foliage at the top of the 

 trees, so that when one looks towards the moon or sun, at 

 an angle of about 22^, one could scarcely, and, but after 

 close scrutiny, discover a pheasant perched on the upper 

 branches. 



In addition to the regular sporting rides, it is a great 



E 2 



