FORESTRY AND THE NEW FOREST 



ing the prescribed protection was withheld from the whole class of 

 woods which most require it. Many of the old woods are in the con- 

 dition described by M. Boppe, an eminent French forester, on his visit 

 to New Forest so long ago as 1885, of 'hurrying to destruction in a 

 manner deplorable to behold.' The further lapse of years has increased 

 materially this condition of affairs. The older woods are decaying very 

 rapidly. Here and there throughout them are to be seen thickets of 

 thorns or other protecting underwood which are full of young trees, 

 showing what a wealth of reproduction lies within the soil ; but except 

 in a few cases where the woods are quite impenetrable, there exists only 

 sufficient young growth to indicate to future generations the outlines of 

 the magnificent woods that now adorn the best parts of the forest. 



That this state of affairs was apprehended in 1877 is clear by the 

 words in the latter part of clause 6 : ' to keep the woods replenished from 

 time to time by protecting the self-sown plants, or by planting trees in 

 the vacant spaces.' 



No one, who has read the evidence that was given before the com- 

 mittee and the various draft reports submitted by different members 

 suggested by that evidence, can doubt that these words were intended 

 to refer to the ancient woods whose decaying though beautiful condition 

 had engaged the attention of the committee. They are without mean- 

 ing if applied to the comparatively young thickly planted areas taken 

 in under the recent Acts cited. Moreover, full power is already given 

 to ' enclose, plant, lay open, or replant these lands.' There are no vacant 

 spaces in them, and consequently no self-sown plants. In the older 

 woods there are many of both. No doubt these old woods were in the 

 mind of the draftsman, but unfortunately the words ' as regards the lands 

 in this section mentioned,' occurring previously in the clause, limit the 

 whole of its operation to those younger plantations, to which also alone 

 the only possible protection, that of enclosure, can be applied. What 

 could be more unpractical ? 



The limit to the right of enclosure is further emphasized by the 

 words in clause 8, that ' except in so far as is provided by this Act the 

 forest shall remain open and unenclosed.' Very full advantage has been 

 taken of this clause by the representatives of the commoners, for whose 

 benefit it was inserted, in objecting to every matter, however trifling, 

 which could be twisted into an enclosure. Thus exception has been 

 taken to the stacking of newly sawn timber, to the protection of cricket 

 pitches by a temporary chain fence, to the erection of a rifle butt, and 

 to many similar things. The representatives of the commoners assert 

 that each of such things constitutes technically an ' enclosure,' and much 

 expensive litigation has followed. 



So serious have the disabilities of the local community become on 

 this account that this formed one of the special matters dealt with by 

 a committee of inquiry in 1889 and 1890, which submitted the last 

 Parliamentary report concerning the New Forest. 



In May, 1889, a Select Committee was appointed by Parliament to 



461 



