472 Of Woods. 



press upon them, in order to reach the succulent buds on the 

 top. When oak woods are eaten, or cropped by cattle, 

 they never thrive, until they are cut over at the ground ; and 

 when the injury has taken place, the sooner this is done the 

 better ( 5 * 4 ). 



Great mischief has been done to many thriving woods in 

 England, from their being subject to common rights of pas- 

 turage for cattle, and in some instances, for deer ; in conse- 

 quence of an idea, that cattle or deer do little injury to woods, 

 after the latter are seven years old. But it may be remarked, 

 that if the owners of such woods saw this injury in its pro- 

 per light, they would not hesitate to make ample compensa- 

 tion to the commoners, to induce them to abandon such 

 rights of pasture ( 5aS ). 



While in a state of commonage, the young plants that 

 spring up spontaneously, are so much exposed to injury that 

 few of them come to perfection ( 54(J ). 



Mr Davis calls the stools that produce coppice wood, 

 under-ground pollard trees, which have their youth, their per- 

 fection and their decay. During the first and last stages of 

 growth, they are particularly susceptible of injury, and if 

 the wood is constantly cropped, it will ultimately perish. 



Sheep are likewise considered to be destructive, as they 

 frequently injure the trees by rubbing against them. 



Horses are not apt to do so much mischief as cattle, un- 

 less they are pressed with hunger ; but hogs do the least in- 

 jury, and where acorns abound, this species of stock are the 

 most profitable. At the Conquest, woods were valued, not 

 by their quantity of timber, but by the number of swine their 

 acorns would maintain ( 5 * 7 ). 



2. Drainage. Oak timber always flourishes best in woods 

 moderately moist, rather than in those that are wet. Where 

 woods therefore are wet, they should be drained, by open 

 cuts, because the roots would soon disturb and stop up 

 covered drains. This plan is now, in some cases practised, 

 and is found to be as profitable in respect of woods, as in 

 arable land. Where that plan is not adopted, the willow and 

 the sallow ought to be multiplied. Attention to draining, 

 would prove highly beneficial in the wet heavy woodland 

 counties, and greatly promote the growth and durability of 

 oak and other valuable timber ( 5 * 8 ). 



3. Shelter. The great object, in the management of cop- 

 pice is, to accelerate the growth. It makes an immense dif- 

 ference in point of profit, when a coppice can be cut in twelve, 

 instead of twenty-four or thirty years. The slowness of the 



