218 SHOOTING THE PHEASANT 



within it on the same principle as before, for the birds 

 to stretch and sun themselves in. I cannot urge too 

 strongly the formation of such nurseries, as additions 

 or annexes to old woods which have become hollow 

 underneath ; and if well done, with an eye to appear- 

 ance, these need not detract from, but on the contrary 

 can be made to add to, the beauty of the woods as 

 features of the landscape. The very natural inclina- 

 tion of most agents, foresters &c. is to erect fencing, 

 for economy's sake, in straight lines, and consequently 

 you will often see young plantations or gorse coverts 

 disfiguring, by their uncompromising rectangular 

 shapes, the natural beauty of hill and dale. Here, 

 again, we have the question of money, but in a very 

 slight degree ; for it is absurd to suppose that the 

 man who can afford to put up, say, a mile of fencing 

 cannot afford to make it a mile and an eighth ; which 

 would be all the increase required, if any, to run it 

 in the curves which the lie of the ground properly 

 suggests, and which would make the whole difference 

 to its appearance. 



The open ride, or some space left within the 

 inclosure of the broom covert, should be ploughed 

 and sown with buckwheat, barley, and oats, while a 

 row or two of cabbages or turnips will still further 

 improve it, and help to keep the birds at home when 



