Of Woods. 469 



of L. 45, 7s. cut once in twenty-three years, which is L. I, 

 |9s. 5d. per acre per annum ; but if let at 17s. per acre per 

 annum, payable half-yearly, and put out on simple interest, 

 the amount would be the same ( 5la ). The land, however, is 

 of so indifferent a quality, that it would not produce, if cul- 

 tivated, more than from* 10s. to 12s. per acre( 5 ' 3 ). 2. The 

 underwood of Col. Beaumont's woodlands in Yorkshire, is 

 cut down every twenty-one years, and is worth, upon an 

 average, L.55 per acre, besides L.18 worth of wood left to 

 stand for a future fall. These woodlands in general, if they 

 were cleared of all timber, underwood, &c. and put into cul- 

 tivation, which would be at an enormous expense, would on 

 an average be worth only 5s. per acre ( 5l4 ). 



But, on the other hand, when land is cultivated, it yields 

 a return every year ; whereas in wood, the profit is only oc- 

 casional, and in the case of timber, extremely distant ; and 

 various comparative estimates have been made, to prove the 

 superiority of cultivation, particularly on good land. 



In Derbyshire, a fall of wood of twenty-five years' growth 

 varies from L.40 to L.100 per acre, clear of all expenses 

 of fencing, draining, and superintendence. About L.65 is 

 nearly the average ( Sl5 ). Forty pounds' worth of timber, 

 however, is always lying dead, in the trees remaining in the 

 ground, deducting the interest of which, the rent of the 

 woodland is only 12s. 8Jd. per acre per annum. Com- 

 pound interest on the L.40, at 3- per cent, would reduce the 

 value of the next cutting to 7s. 4d. per acre, and if calcula- 

 ted at four per cent, compound interest, the dead stock 

 would be L.66 : 12 : 8, exceeding the cutable produce by 

 15s. 2d.( 516 ). 



In the Weald of Sussex, the common system of husban- 

 dry is, a fallow, two crops of corn, and one of clover, the 

 produce of which, during that course, is stated at L.15, 2s. 

 or, for the four years, L.3 : 15 : 6 per annum ( 5l? ). 



The highest produce, in the most favourable soils for 

 wood in Sussex, is L.I : : 5; consequently the gross pro- 

 duce by corn, is L.2 : 15 : 1 per annum, more than by wood, 

 though obtained at greater expense ( 5l8 ). 



Besides, were it admitted as a general maxim, that the 

 strength of a country depends more upon the number of 

 men, than the number of trees, and that those lands, which 

 can be employed in the immediate production of animal or 

 vegetable food, should not be occupied in the tedious pro- 

 duction of future timber ( 5I9 ); yet still, there are exceptions 

 to that rule, which well merit consideration. 



In many districts, were they divested of wood, fuel could 



