FORESTRY 157 



Julius Knight, Chancellor of His Majesty's 

 Exchequer, he relates that " Holmsley Coppice," 

 (which took its very name from its splendid 

 production of the tree whereof we are speaking) 

 "consisteth only of holly or holm, which are for 

 the most part very old, and by reason that the 

 country people have taken the bark of the most 

 of them to make bird lime, they are all decayed 

 and dead, and if they be not taken they will 

 utterly perish and the covert will be destroyed, 

 whereas the cutting in a seasonable time will 

 revive and continue the same." 



This is an interesting record as to country 

 life and what was then called " birding," and 

 the means whereby it was carried out; but it 

 is also interesting as showing the ancient know- 

 ledge, now so often forgotten, of the proper way 

 to cultivate hollies and similar evergreens, viz. 

 to lop and pollard them as soon as ever they 

 show signs of decay. 



By this means, and by this only, such shrubs 

 may be kept alive until they attain great age 

 and dimensions ; and it is to this method of 

 treatment, chiefly adopted for the purpose of 

 browsing of deer in winter, that the existence of 

 some of the almost patriarchal trees of the New 

 Forest is to be attributed. 



Those who are familiar with the Forest will 



