CONVERSION OF COPPICE WOODS INTO HIGH FORESTS. 61 



I am satisfied that such an average annual income can be 

 derived from fairly good soil, fit to produce oak, ash, and 

 larch, such as is devoted to pheasant coverts in the Midland 

 counties. First-class soil will, doubtless, give higher returns, 

 without in any way interfering with the rearing of pheasants. 



6. Conversion of Coppice Woods into High Forests. 



There was a time, when coppice woods yielded such high 

 returns, that this method of treatment was doubtless the most 

 profitable which could be adopted. Now, however, matters 

 have changed. Oak bark has fallen in value to such an 

 extent, that the surplus of the sale value over the cost of 

 peeling and preparing the bark has become very small. Not 

 long ago the author had to do with an extensive area of oak 

 coppice woods in the south of England, which had given of 

 late years, after deducting the cost of cutting, peeling, etc., an 

 income of about four shillings an acre annually. Taking into 

 consideration the cost of administration, rates, taxes, etc., 

 these lands give practically no income at all. Nor is oak 

 bark likely to rise again in price. There is not only an ever 

 increasing import of foreign tanning materials, but it is almost 

 certain that before long tanning will be done chiefly with 

 artificially prepared agents. Hence, one group of coppice 

 woods is financially lost. Matters are even worse as regards 

 other coppice woods. Where ash can be grown, fair financial 

 results may still be obtained, and in certain localities hazel 

 and chestnut sell as yet ; but taking coppice woods as a whole, 

 their value has fallen so much that in many cases the produce 

 is actually unsaleable ; hence the time has arrived to consider 

 their position in rural economy. In some cases, as in game 

 preserves, coppice in combination with standards may still be 

 indicated, but in all other cases, coppice woods should be con- 

 verted into high forests, whenever the proprietor looks forward 

 to the realisation of reasonable returns from his woodlands. 



When conversion has been decided on, the simplest plan is 

 to carry it through step by step as the coppice in each section 



F. E 



