114 THE MANAGEMENT OF WOODLANDS. 



when a fall is made, or else to " grove " the whole and allow 

 it to grow up into a highwood (usually of poor quality) by 

 simply thinning out the poorest and smallest poles. Returns 

 from copses are usually smaller than those from highwoods oh 

 similar soil and under similar circumstances ; but the capital 

 required is also less, and for woodlands of only about 200 to 

 300 acres it is often the most suitable method of treatment, 

 because the English Settled Estates Act, 1882, makes an impor- 

 tant distinction between coppice, simple or stored (Sijlva ccedua), 

 and timber or highwood (Saltus), the life-tenant in possession 

 of a settled estate being entitled to all the income derived from 

 the former, but only one-fourth part of the latter, while the 

 rest has to be paid over as capital to the trustees for the estate. 

 Under Scots law, however, an heir in possession of an en- 

 tailed estate can cut timber and put the money to his own 

 uses without being impeachable for waste. 



Stored coppice has the further advantages of being best suited 

 for game coverts, and being on the whole the most ornamental 

 kind of woodland, while it also allows of small quantities of 

 valuable timber being grown for estate purposes, selected stand- 

 ards being left to mature as required. 



Highwoods give the largest returns in valuable timber, and 

 are best able to protect the soil from deterioration through sun, 

 wind, and weeds, unless overthinned or otherwise damaged. 

 As a rule, the fall should only take place after the average 

 increment has culminated and the trees are of good marketable 

 size ; and where grazing is combined with wood-growing, that 

 can in highwoods be carried on continuously with much less 

 likelihood of damage than would be possible in simple or stored 

 coppice. 1 



It is difficult to draw any fair comparisons between these 

 three different forms of crop so far as actual profits over a 

 number of years are concerned. Where the soil is poor, the 

 area large, and the capital of fair amount, then highwoods are 



