FOREST BOUNDARIES. 



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may be more cleavl}^ defined by rows of trees, hedges, fences, 

 walls, forest rides, or ditches. 



lioics of trees are injurious to neighbouring fields by their 

 shade and the spread of their roots. Hedges are difficult to 

 keep in order, and rarely answer their purpose in keeping out 

 cattle along a lengthy forest houndary. Fences are expensive, 

 but their use is sometimes unavoidable where browsing by 

 game or grazing is to be feared. Details regarding fences are 

 given in Schlich's Sylviculture, Vol. II., 3rd edition, page 122. 



Walls may be erected when stones can be collected on the 

 spot, or where, on account of the sloping nature of the ground. 



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II 



a 



Fig. 9. 



Fig. 10. — Boundary-ditches. 



I 



ii I 



Fig. 11. Fig. 12. 



ditches are not practicable. Such walls should be 1 yard broad 

 at the base and from a height of 18 inches should gradually 

 taper off to the top. The stones should be placed with the 

 thick end outside. 



Forest boundary rides as well as boundary marks are neces- 

 sary where two forests adjoin. Unless the ride is also to be 

 used as a road, a breadth of 4 to 8 feet will suftice, 16 feet being 

 the least admissible breadth for a road, so that two carts may 

 pass one another. Along boundary rides it may be advisable to 

 dig out all stumps in order to prevent the growth of coppice- 

 shoots, and the ground may be roughly levelled and drained, 

 and even narrow bridges erected, so as to convert the ride into 

 a bridle-path to facilitate inspection. 



Boundary ditches (Figs. 9 to 12) give a clearly cut line and 

 prevent encroachment by ploughing or grazing when the forest 



F.P. c 



