96 OUR FORESTS AND WOODLANDS 
former times, this was usually the result of 
chance rather than of set purpose and design. 
Often, in fact, they were produced through what 
might have been considered as rather a neglect 
of thinning. But the advantages of close grow- 
ing was sometimes illustrated in a very practical 
manner, as, for example, in the following instance 
mentioned by Gilbert White in his Natural 
History of Selborne, in which he describes how 
‘On the Blackmoor estate there is a small 
wood called Losels, of a few acres, that was 
lately furnished with a set of oaks of a peculiar 
growth and great value; they were tall and 
taper like firs, but standing near together had 
very small heads, only a little brush without 
any large limbs. About twenty years ago the 
bridge at the Toy, near Hampton Court, being 
much decayed, some trees were wanted for the 
repairs that were fifty feet long without bough, 
and would measure twelve inches diameter at 
the little end. Twenty such trees did a purveyor 
find in this little wood, with this advantage, 
that many of them answered the description at 
sixty feet. These trees were sold for twenty 
pounds apiece,’ 
