THE TREATMENT OF GAME PRESERVES. 53 



operations, or, as foresters call it, working plan. The necessary 

 conditions may shortly be indicated as follows :- 



(1.) A full and dense underwood is essential, at any rate 

 over the greater part of the area. This can only be main- 

 tained by cutting it over periodically, and protecting the new 

 shoots for some years against ground game. If the under- 

 wood is allowed to grow too old, it becomes thin below, and no 

 longer fulfils its purpose as regards the game. Again, if not 

 protected against ground game, the new shoots are cut back, or 

 seriously injured, and they become weak and are deficient in 

 giving shelter. Again, if the stools are too old, they will not 

 send forth vigorous fresh shoots when cut over. 



(2.) The overwood must be sufficiently thin to admit the 

 required amount of light to the underwood, without which the 

 latter cannot thrive. To meet this requirement, it is necessary 

 that the overwood should consist of thin-crowned species, such 

 as ash, oak, larch, birch, poplar, and perhaps pines, and the 

 underwood of species which are either shade-bearers, or which 

 at any rate can stand a moderate amount of shade. Of broad- 

 leaved shade-bearers, which alone can come under considera- 

 tion in the case of coppice, beech stands first, and hornbeam 

 next. These species, however, are not very remunerative, and 

 in the majority of cases, others, which are more so, must be 

 chosen. Among these, ash stands first, and hazel perhaps 

 next. Ash demands a fair amount of light, but it is well 

 known that it will thrive, provided the overwood is constituted 

 as indicated above. Alder is useful in wet places, and chest- 

 nut on sandy soils. Other species may be added to the 

 underwood to meet special requirements. 



(3.) The third essential condition is that game preserves 

 should be disturbed as little as possible. If forest operations 

 are conducted in them, it must be done at a certain season of 

 the year, say before March, and if possible at a few years 

 interval. 



The question then arises, how can all these requirements be 

 made to fit in ? This it is proposed to show on an example. 



