B50 Queries and Answers. 



unjustly accused of so doing. But, as already said, an experienced eye will at 

 once perceive the state and condition of a tree, without minutely attending to 

 these and the like particulars. So much in reply to the first question. As to 

 the second, viz. " at what age oaks should be cut down, so as to make the 

 best return in point of profit ; the answer to this enquiry involves matter of 

 nice and complicated calculation ; besides that much will depend on the de- 

 mand for timber of this or that particular size and quality in each neighbour- 

 hood respectively. It is proverbially said, that " an oak tree is a good banker ;" 

 but I have some misgivings as to the truth of that position. The oak is un- 

 questionably a tree of slow growth ; and hence, it is proverbially said again, 

 that " a withy will buy a horse before an oak will buy a saddle." It is held by 

 some as an established maxim, that if an oak were to be cut down when it was 

 worth a pound, and the money put out to interest, it would produce a much 

 larger sum than the tree would sell for when arrived at maturity. This may 

 probably be very true ; but then, were such practice universally adopted, it is 

 evident there could be no large timber grown — nothing but mere poles : and 

 what a woful deficiency would ensue of fine ornamental oaks ! if your cor- 

 respondent could ascertain the period " at which the increase of a tree becomes 

 so small as that it would not pay the annual interest of the sum which the 

 tree would sell for," and, having satisfied himself on this point, should forth- 

 with proceed to cut down all the delinquent (i. e. unprofitable) trees, I greatly 

 fear he would commit sad havoc on his estate. 



The proper management and nursing of timber require some judgment and 

 attention, of course, and more knowledge of the subject, as well as more taste, 

 than, perhaps, most proprietors are possessed of. Doubtless, near a man's re- 

 sidence, profit must, in numberless instances, be sacrificed to ornament, shelter, 

 &c. Ancient venerable trees form the noblest appendage to an estate, and one 

 which, indeed, it would be sacrilege to destroy. Trees, too, of extraordinary 

 beauty, or those presenting any remarkable peculiarity of growth or singularity of 

 conformation, should, of course, in all cases, as far as possible, be preserved as 

 curiosities. At the same time, with regard to woods, — woods, I mean, de- 

 signed principally for profit, — there can be no question but that the prevailing 

 fault with most proprietors is that of being too sparing with the axe, leaving 

 too much, and allowing oaks to remain long after they have ceased to remain 

 Vith profit. A landed proprietor very naturally and properly wishes to en- 

 courage the growth of oak timber on his estate ; accordingly, when a wood is 

 to be cut, directions are given to the bailiff, or perhaps even to a common 

 labourer, carefully to preserve the oaks ; and the consequence is, that trees 

 of this kind are spared, time after time, which do not increase one shiUing in 

 value by the time the wood cotnes round to be cut again, a period, it may 

 be, of fi'om ten to fourteen or sixteen years. Now, the evil of this system is 

 twofold : first, there is the positive loss, to the proprietor, of the interest of the 

 money which the trees would have sold for, had they been felled ; and, secondly, 

 what is far worse, by allowing them to encumber the ground, a stop is put to 

 a succession of young trees, which would have been certain to spring up in 

 their room, according to that just, though homely, adage of our provincial wood- 

 men, " cut wood, and have wood." I could point out instances of woods which 

 are absolutely going to ruin for want of thinning, and out of which the present 

 owners might enrich themselves, and at the same time benefit their successors. 

 The subject of a succession of trees in woods is not enough attended to. It will 

 perpetually happen, that a thriving tree, one that is "paying money" (as the 

 phrase is), must yet be sacrificed for the sake of some four or five, or perhaps 

 half score, }'oung saplings, which stand around it, and which, of course, will be 

 entirely spoiled by the overshadowing branches of their usurping neighbour, if 

 the latter be allowed to remain for another term of ten, twelve, or more years. 

 In cases like this, therefore, there is scope for the judgment and discrimination 

 of the woodman ; and I admit that it is often not a little painful and perplex- 

 ing to come to a decision. When a prisoner is put upon trial for his life, the 

 jury are always very properly directed, if they have any doubts as to the guilt 

 of the accused, to give him the benefit of such doubts, and to acquit him. 



