A HISTORY OF MIDDLESEX 



this district. The elm abounded in the hedgerows, eight trees were 

 numbered in twenty feet. As to Enfield Chase and parish there had 

 been a further inclosure in 1803, not confined to the 1,500 acres of waste- 

 land, but also embracing 2,746 acres of common fields, and 794 acres of 

 marsh-land. For four years before this second inclosure the parish 

 had annually cut down a considerable number of oaks in aid of the 

 poor rates. The timber had been generally felled, except what 

 Dr. Wilkinson had preserved (some 80 acres) in the neighbourhood of 

 White Webbs. 



The tenth chapter discusses ' copses, woods, plantations, hedgerows 

 and osiers.' Mr. Middleton states that the copses and woods of Middle- 

 sex had been decreasing for ages, and expected that in a few centuries 

 more they would be annihilated. He mentions, however, some acres 

 thus occupied on the northern slopes of Hampstead and Highgate hills ; 

 100 acres on the east side of Finchley Common ; and 2,000 acres on the 

 north-west side of Ruislip. The hills about Copthall and Hornsey were 

 then appropriated to the scythe, though a few years before they were 

 covered with wood. Mr. Middleton was by no means distressed at the 

 disappearance of woodland, for he regarded the woods and copses of 

 Middlesex as ' nurseries for thieves,' and also ' the occasion of many mur- 

 ders and robberies.' He was also strongly of opinion, emphasizing the 

 statement by the use of italics, that ' every acre of this county ought to be 

 appropriated to the production of more valuable crops than timber and 

 underwood.' It was his opinion in 1807 that there was only an area 

 in Middlesex of 3,000 acres bearing copse, plantation, or forest timber. 



Just a century has elapsed since the issue of this singular report, so 

 adverse to any form of woodland, by the then Board of Agriculture. 

 Better opinions happily now prevail. 



The attention given to arboriculture during the last quarter of a 

 century has resulted in a gratifying and steadily growing increase in the 

 woodlands of England and Wales. Notwithstanding the great growth 

 of population, and, therefore, of the building area of Middlesex, it is as 

 pleasant as it is surprising that this small county well maintains its share 

 in this advance in proportion to its size. In Middlesex the total acreage 

 of woods and plantations in 1888 was 2,545 acres ; in 1891 it had grown 

 to 3,036 ; and in 1895 to 3,656. The detailed returns made up to 

 5 June 1905, show a steady rise in the last decade, for the total acreage 

 of woods was then 3,968. This total is usefully divided into coppice, 

 1,590 acres (by which term is meant woods cut periodically and repro- 

 ducing themselves by stool shoots) ; plantations, 98 acres, covering 

 lands planted or replanted within the last ten years ; and other woods 

 2,280 acres. 



Nor does this growth of 1,000 acres of pure woodlands in a century 

 by any means exhaust the marvellous improvement effected in Middlesex 

 in the way of tree-culture. 



So far as the growth of timber, both forest and ornamental, is con- 

 cerned, apart from that which is included in woodland returns, the improve- 



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