44 SYLVICULTURE. 



most closely resembling a highwood in appearance. The 

 Pollarding or Lopping of Willows and Poplars growing near 

 streams is mainly an agricultural measure. 



2. Stored Coppice or Coppice with Standards grows best 

 when the overwood consists of light-demanding trees, and the 

 underwood of shade-enduring kinds. The Statute of Woods 

 commanded that "12 standils or storers of Oak " were to be left 

 per acre, or, failing Oak, of " Elm, Ash, Asp, or Beech," which 

 were then the most valuable kinds of timber-trees. On good, 

 fresh loam Oak and Ash are still the most valuable standards, 

 while, as in simple coppice, Hazel, Ash, Chestnut, and Sycamore 

 usually form the most profitable part of the underwood. The 

 number of standards that can be left per acre depends on the 

 quality of the soil, but absolute regularity in the different age- 

 classes is never attainable in practice. (See also pages 80, 112). 



3. Highwoods, usually raised from seed either by natural 

 regeneration or by artificial sowing or planting, are not cleared 

 as a crop until they have either reached their full maturity or 

 are old enough to yield a crop of marketable timber ; and it is 

 the only crop-form in which Conifers can be grown. It is also 

 the only form in which long straight clean stems can be produced. 

 Highwoods may be worked with a rotation of from about 40 

 years (for pitwood) up to 120 years or more (for Oak). Until 

 highwoods are mature the only fellings made in them are 

 thinnings to remove dead, badly-grown, suppressed or diseased 

 trees interfering with the growth of others more likely to prove 

 profitable. 



Highwoods are usually the most profitable timber-crop, then 

 Copse or Coppice with Standards, and simple Coppice the least 

 profitable nowadays. But Osier-holts or Alder- coppices for 

 clog- wood prove, under favourable conditions, much more profit- 

 able than copse or most kinds of highwood. And copses are 

 attractive to small landowners, both because they lock up far 

 less capital, and also because they form good game-coverts and 



