v] RAISING OF THE FERTILITY LIMIT 67 



necessary to get rid of the deer. "The Commis- 

 sioners' order had gone forth against the deer 'let 

 not one remain.' Some few were caught alive in nets, 

 and taken away to stock distant parks, but by far the 

 greater number had to be killed, and to effect this 

 purpose the keepers were fully employed ; to assist 

 in the slaughter, guns and gunners came from the 

 surrounding neighbourhood.. . .As a complete clearance 

 was to be made, bucks, does, and fawns, in season 

 and out of season, shared the same fate, and the taste 

 of venison was known in cottage as well as hall." 

 Next the trees were cut down. "Hundreds and 

 hundreds of men and boys were engaged, some cutting 

 the light wood and laying it in drift, some tying the 

 firewood into faggots, some preparing the larger 

 pieces for posts and fencing and others busy felling 

 the timber trees, or stripping off the bark." Some of 

 the smaller trees were pulled down by a windlass 

 worked by two horses. The total cost of this was 

 7742, but sales of timber, bark, etc. realised 21,823, 

 and as 2450 worth was left untouched the gain on 

 this part of the operation was 16,531. Next came 

 the laborious process of digging out the roots known 

 by the old Saxon name "grubbing" ; this was accom- 

 plished by hand labour at a cost of 6233 for an 

 area of 1903 acres. " Some of the roots were carried 

 away to serve as fuel for the cottages near ; but 

 great quantities were burned on the land, rough 



52 



