g2 OUR FORESTS AND WOODLANDS 
the best quality and in the shortest space of time 
by growing the oak trees as hedgerow timber, or 
in parks, or as standard trees in copsewoods, 
where they were allowed to have almost perfect 
freedom to ramify according to their natural 
habit when not limited with regard to growing- 
space. 
The early perception that a certain limitation 
in the space allowed for growth is essential for 
securing a good long stem, thus foreshadowing 
one of the leading principles in the modern 
methods of Forestry, is clearly proved in the 
following extract from Evelyn’s Sylva, which 
at the same time indicates with equal distinct- 
ness the generally approved and customary 
system of growing oak so as to encourage the 
formation of curved wood specially adapted for 
naval purposes. ‘Some advise,’ he says, ‘that 
in planting of Oaks, &c., four, or five be suffer’d 
to stand very neer to one another, and then to 
leave the most prosperous, when they find the 
rest to disturb his growth; but I conceive it 
were better to plant them at such distances, as 
they may least incommode one another: for 
Timber-irees, 1 would have none neerer then 
