MAINTENANCE OF A SUFFICIENCY OP COPPICING STOCK. 401 



least, than a clump of shoots growing up on a stool of no greater 

 diameter than the stem of the pollard. It only remains to add 

 that pollarding is hardly suited for the production of timber, 

 although the stump may yield a short log of thoroughly well lig- 

 nified wood and some of the shoots may attain.the dimensions of 

 small poles at a comparatively early age. 



Ordinarily pollarding will be adopted in the following cases : — 



(1) In large wastes, where pasturage is the main object and 

 tree growth is maintained principally to secure a large and conti- 

 nuous supply of wholesome grass and leaf-fodder. The pollards 

 are always able to shade the ground, are more easily exploited for 

 leaves than unmutilated trees, yield a larger supply of fodder than 

 stool-shoots, and are never liable to be browsed upon, except by 

 camels, like these last. 



(2) In plantations supplying material for wattling and wicker 

 work. 



(3) In plantations of mulberry, &c. made for the feeding of silk 

 worms. By pollarding we obtain the largest outturn possible of 

 tender juicy leaves, which are safe from the ravages of deer and 

 cattle. Here evidently the exploitation should be annual and 

 partial. 



(4) In fields, where the crops require to be sheltered and leaves 

 and twigs are wanted for manure and fodder or for mixing with 

 stored seed. In this case, the trees should be such as are in full 

 leaf in the cold and hot seasons and do not hurt the crops by their 

 poisonous properties or their root-system. The stems will supply 

 the farmer with firewood and small timber. But for the purpose 

 here discussed trees, which, with the exception of a tuft of leaves at 

 the top, are kept constantly pruned, are much more desirable. 

 Such trees do little harm to crops owing to their insignificant shade 

 and drip, their much narrower and less dense spread of roots, and 

 the greater dispersion of their dead leaves ; and they produce 

 larger and sounder timber, which is usually prettily mottled in 

 species possessing a heart-wood. 



(5) In periodically flooded land, where stool-shoots would get 

 broken or killed, or even come up with difficulty (see p. 381, 

 last paragraph.) 



SECTION VI. 



Maintenance of a sufficiency of coppicing stock. 



Owing to the advancing age of the original parent stock, or to 

 bad cutting, or to employing too long a rotation, or to floods, or to 



