WHITTLEBURY FOREST. 121 



" In 1783 there were growing in this forest, of trees 30 

 feet and upwards, yielding navy timber, 5,211, measuring 

 7,230 loads, square measure ; and of dotard, decayed, &c., 

 502, containing 569 loads, square measure. By the same 

 survey it appears that there were 18,617 trees in the forest 

 constantly lopped for the browse of the deer, viz., 6,335 

 oaks, computed to contain 8,907 loads of timber, square 

 measure, and 12,282 ash trees, containing 3,512 loads ; so 

 that the number and quantity of the browsed oaks was 

 greater than that reported to be fit for the navy, of which 

 the number in the coppices was not quite more than three 

 trees to every two acres of land. Between the years 1772 

 and 1783 there had been felled for the navy 1,461 trees, 

 producing 1,335 loads. If these be added to the trees 

 growing in the coppices at the time of the survey, the 

 number would b^ still less than two trees to every acre; 

 and if the browse oaks be taken into computation, the 

 whole number of the trees of thirty feet and upwards 

 would be little more than three trees to an acre." 



D. — The Forest of Salcey, 



"Salcey Forest is situated in the immediate neighbour- 

 hood of Whittlebury. Its extent is about 1280 acres; 

 and it is the property of the crown, or rather the crown 

 claims certain rights, some of which are disputed by the 

 Duke of Grafton. The forest seems to have been quite 

 neglected until the beginning of the present century, when 

 the authorities began to plant it ; but since that time it 

 has been in a very thriving state, though the annual loss 

 to the public on such a young plantation is very consider- 

 able, when compared with the receipts. 



" It is chiefly composed of coppice-woods, of which there 

 are 1841 acres, though a considerable number of oaks have 

 been planted. The remainder consisted of 1741 acres of 

 open plains, 127 acres of freehold land, and 32 of detached 

 meadow, making 3741 acres in all. This forest abounds in 



