Of Woods. 473 



growth, is either owing to injury done by cattle, or to 

 coldness of the soil or climate, (which may be improved 

 by draining), or is occasioned by exposure to the violent 

 south-west winds. This however, may, to a certain degree, 

 be obviated, by skirting the wood, according to the nature 

 of the soil, with Scotch fir, Spruce fir ( 5 * 9 ), and other hardy 

 plants ; and a moderate quantity of timber, may likewise 

 have the effect of screening the underwood from the seve- 

 rity of the blast. 



4. Period of cutting. Customs vary, as to the number of 

 years' growth, at which coppices ought to be cut, from 9 

 to 27 and 30 years. It must depend on the rapidity of 

 their growth, and the uses to which they are to be applied. 

 In favoured situations, a growth of twelve years is consider- 

 ed to be sufficient ; but in many instances, underwood can- 

 not, by the best management, be made worth more than L.8 

 per acre, at 16 years' growth. Twelve small oaks, however, 

 per acre, worth 20s. each, may be cut regularly at the same 

 time, which renders the total produce L.20 per acre every 

 16 years ( 53 ). The great wood proprietors in Scotland, ge- 

 nerally cut their oak coppices at periods of from 20 to 24 years, 

 and sometimes even of 30 years. The principal object in 

 that country is the bark, which is considered to arrive at its 

 greatest perfection, at the age of between 20 and 30 years. 

 Under that age, at least in the climate of Scotland, its virtues 

 are weak ; above it the bark becomes coarse, and loses its 

 sap (53'). 



In Norfolk, Mr Blaikie informs me, that the underwood 

 is cut at six, seven or eight years' growth. It is principally 

 worked up into wattled hurdles, used for sheep-folds. The 

 cutting is commenced as soon as the leaf begins to drop in 

 autumn. 



Underwoods, when felled, should be cut upwards and close 

 from the ground, leaving the stubs quite smooth. When so cut, 

 the succeeding shoots are not only cleaner grown, but they 

 are stronger and taller at six years' growth, than they are 

 at eight years when cut down, and the stubs left sticking out 

 of the ground with their tops splintered, as they always must 

 be when cut downwards. This remark on cutting up, and 

 cutting down, is applicable to all trees and bushes ; whether 

 cut high or low, and whether cut by knife, bill-hook, or 

 hatchet. 



5. Season for cutting. There are many opinions, respect- 

 ing the proper season of the year, for cutting underwood ; 

 but there is one rule, which, for the advantage of the sell- 

 er, should be steadily adhered to, namely, that the older 



