CHAPTER V. 

 LAYING OUT OF LAND FOR PLANTATIONS. 



IT may be as well before proceeding with this section 

 to point out the meaning of the various expressions, 

 forests, woods, and plantations. The term forest in 

 this country can only be correctly applied in a few 

 instances viz., the New Forest, the Forest of Dean, 

 and other large tracts of Crown lands, and perhaps to 

 some of the large tracts of woodlands in the north 

 of Scotland. The exact area which deserves the 

 style of forest is open to opinion. Some say no area 

 under 10,000 acres should be so styled ; but this, in 

 so limited an area as this country possesses, is perhaps 

 excessive. The term forest in English is synony- 

 mous with the Italian foresta, and French foret, and 

 the terms are applied to an extensive wood or large 

 tract of land covered with trees. In English law, 

 however, the term implies an open space set apart 

 for the chase, and does not necessarily imply the 

 presence of trees. 



The term wood implies a tract of natural woodland, 

 and area is of little or no consequence. The term 

 plantation signifies an area planted with trees for 

 commercial or other purposes, and is also independent 

 of area. Forests and woods are already laid out, i.e., 



