UNDER A CROP OF WOOD. 5 



wood, we have, instead of 30s., L.7, 8s. as the rent 

 of the same land nnder a crop of wood ; and even 

 after deducting all necessary expenses, as well as 

 compound interest progressively, the proprietor has 

 about three times the income from his land as under 

 wood, that he would receive from the same had it 

 been in the hands of a farmer. 



These examples I consider quite sufficient for the 

 present purpose. And further upon the same point, 

 I beg to say, that it is not alone the simple value 

 of the timber that makes plantations of so impor- 

 tant a nature upon a gentlemen's property. There 

 is the shelter that they afford to all agricultural 

 purposes : for where no plantations are, there is 

 invariably an inferior crop of grain upon the fields, 

 as well as an ill-fed live stock, which should all be 

 taken into account; and in doing so, I am of opinion 

 that upon any landed property, well managed plan- 

 tations are incalculably of more value than land 

 three times their extent in the hands of a farmer, but 

 without trees to give shelter ; and it is well known 

 by every proprietor of land, that he receives by 

 far the highest rent for those parts of his lands 

 which are most sheltered by his best plantations ; 

 and further, of whatever value land may be in the 

 hands of a farmer, without plantations to give 

 shelter to the same, it is of very much greater 

 value when properly sheltered by them. 



