WEST DEVONSHIRE. 93 



war has occafioned. Formerly, (within 

 memory) four or five pounds an acre was 

 reckoned a good price for wood of a middle 

 quality, and twenty years growth. Within 

 the laft ten years, or lefs time, ten pounds 

 an acre was efleemed a full price for fuch 

 wood. Now (1794) it is worth fifteen 

 pounds an acre ; the purchafer paying 

 tithe 'y which is ufually 2s. 6d. to 3s. in 

 the pound, upon the grofs amount of fale. 



4. The method of taking down 

 Coppice wood, in this part of the illand, 

 is fingular. The ordinary woods being 

 cleared away, previous to the Barking 

 feafon, theOak is peeled standing ; 

 all the hands employed continuing to peel ' 

 during the fpring run of the Bark. When 

 a check takes place, the woodmen employ 

 themfelves in cutting down the peeled 

 wood; until the midfummer run calls 

 them again to the operation of peeling ; 

 w^hich, indeed, may be faid to laft, with 

 little interruption, throughout the fum- 

 mer; the wood being chiefiv converted 

 into faleable ware, during the winte r months . 



This 



