A HISTORY OF HAMPSHIRE 



woods were also kept thick by plashing or layering of shoots. But at 

 the same time it must be recollected that such woods are now more 

 often maintained as game coverts than for the growth of timber, etc., 

 and therefore they are of course managed on such principles as seem 

 most suitable for preserving the game. Many of the conifer plantations 

 are less productive than they might be through wide planting and 

 injudicious thinning. In the above respects, however, the Hants wood- 

 lands are not unique, they merely resemble the great majority of the 

 areas classified as ' woodlands and plantations ' throughout the whole 

 of central and southern England. 



As already mentioned (on p. 442), though the endeavours made 

 to obtain details concerning the private woods and plantations have been 

 only so partially responded to as to fail completely in enabling a full 

 categorical list to be compiled, still they convey a good general idea of 

 the existing woodlands. Such details as have kindly been furnished by 

 the courtesy of the landowners with regard to (i) the acreage of wood- 

 lands and ages of different portions, (2) the nature of crops and kinds of 

 trees, (3) the method of treating the woods, (4) the extent and nature of 

 recent plantations, and (5) the method of planting generally followed 

 may be summarized as follows : 



The woodlands belonging to His Grace the Duke of Wellington (Stratfield, 

 saye, Mortimer, Berks) on the Stratfieldsaye and Wolverton estates aggregate 2,266 

 acres, and are almost wholly in the county of Hants. Many of the trees (especially 

 in the grounds near the house) are several centuries old, while there is of course a 

 large proportion of younger trees. For the most part these consist of self-sown oaks, 

 though a few larch were planted about sixty to seventy years ago. Until the last 

 few years no particular method was followed in treating the woods, but latterly a cer- 

 tain portion of maiden land has been planted with larch, while portions of the old 

 woodlands have been cleared of oak and planted with larch. Recent plantations 

 extend only to 60 acres of maiden land and 36 acres of old woodland, which 

 have been almost exclusively planted with larch. The method of planting usually 

 followed is pit-planting on maiden land and planting with the planting-iron on old 

 woodland soil. Two nurseries have been recently established on the estate in order 

 to have a stock of plants close at hand for future planting operations. 



The Right Hon. the Earl of Malmesbury (Heron Court, Christchurch) owns 

 woodlands aggregating about 2,000 acres or more. Most of these are old woods, 

 while the oldest of the existing plantations chiefly date from 1800 to 1840. The 

 soil is well suited for growing timber of fine quality, but for a considerable period the 

 custom on the estate was merely to replant old plantations cleared when mature and 

 not to start new ones. Since 1889, however, more has been done to replace the older 

 woods by timber plantations. Oak, larch, elm and Scots pine are the chief trees 

 throughout the woods and plantations, while in the vicinity of Heron Court there 

 are fine cedars and eight or nine remarkable stone pines or ' umbrella trees ' in the park. 

 Steps are now being taken to convert, so far as possible, the Scots pine plantations 

 into oak, chestnut and larch, Scots pine being still however used to ' nurse ' the young 

 oak. Oak and Scots pine seem to find the soil and situation peculiarly suited to their 

 natural requirements, though other kinds of trees also appear to thrive well. One of 

 the most remarkable features of Lord Malmesbury's estate is the fine growth of 

 rhododendron throughout the underwoods, where it comes up in great profusion. 



The Right Hon. the Earl of Northbrook's woodlands on the Stratton estate 

 (Micheldever) extend to about 1,200 acres (exclusive of the woods in the park of 203 

 acres). By far the greatest part of these consist of old woods which have been under 

 timber crops from time immemorial. Oak timber predominates, but intermixed with 



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