Coppice and Underitiood 171 



seriously injure all vegetation that might spring up beneath 

 them, are to be avoided. Generally where the health and 

 vigour of the coppice wood are points of first consideration, 

 it will not be advisable to allow the standard trees to occupy 

 altogether more than about one-fifth of the wooded area ; 

 and even then the lower branches should be pruned off, 

 so that the effects of shade will be mitigated as much as 

 possible. As to the woods which coppice most freely, the 

 ash, oak and hazel occupy the first rank, at least in a pro- 

 fitable sense, the elm, willow, beech, birch, hornbeam, alder 

 and sycamore occupying a second, but, as before stated, the 

 nature of the soil, and less so the altitude. and exposure, have 

 everything to do with the particular species that will suc- 

 ceed best. Thus ash will do well where the soil is moist and 

 loamy, the Spanish chestnut in sandy or gravelly districts, 

 for rich plains and hollows the oak will be most remunera- 

 tive, the alder and willow in marshy ground, and where 

 bare and exposed, the birch, hazel, beech and hornbeam 

 will succeed best. 



The preparation of the land and planting for coppice are 

 similar in all respects to that adopted for the growing of an 

 ordinary timber crop. Where the ground is too wet, drain- 

 ing should be judiciously engaged in, while trenching, al- 

 though expensive at first, is amply compensated for in the 

 increased growth and vigour of the underwood. The pits for 

 planting may be made from 3J ft. to 4 ft. apart, and, if the 

 ground was previously trenched, of sufficient size to hold the 

 roots without undue cramping. It is always well to keep 

 the stools tolerably close together, as the shoots take a more 

 erect habit and are straighter and more valuable than when 

 allowed too much space and side room. Two years after 

 being planted, or at the end of the second autumn, the young 

 trees, excepting such as it may be thought advisable to 

 leave as standards, should be cut over near ground level. 

 This cutting is a most important operation, and should only 

 be performed by skilled workmen, with tools of the best 

 description well sharpened. The cut should be clean and 

 directed upwards, all splitting of the stems and tearing of 

 the bark being assiduously guarded against as conducive to 



