I OO NO TES ON FORES TR Y. 



unless the coppice has been cut off close to the 

 ground, there is so commonly an element of decay 

 developing itself at the point at which the new 

 shoot encloses the old stem, that we could hardly 

 count with confidence on raising really first-class 

 timber by laying up coppice. But if it were deter- 

 mined to convert a coppice into timber forest in a 

 Division in which there was no officer practically 

 familiar with planting, the forest might be divided 

 into as many blocks as there are years in the 

 contemplated rotation, and one of these blocks be 

 laid up annually, the remainder being worked for 

 coppice as before. There would be of course an 

 ever-increasing reduction in yield for the first few 

 years, but this would subsequently be to a great 

 extent compensated for by the yield of thinnings 

 from the reserved blocks, and at the end of the 

 period the forest would be cut over as timber 

 forest. 



This of course assumes that the coppice is a 

 tall-growing wood, valuable as timber; but if 

 this is not the case, or it is wished to introduce a 

 better class of timber, planting must be resorted 

 to. After the annual clearance, the block intended 

 to be laid up should be planted with strong plants 

 from 3 to 6 feet high, and at distances of 15 

 to 20 feet apart. The coppice may be allowed 

 to grow with them, and be cut over as before, 



