138 PROTECTION OF "AFFORESTED AREAS 



to the haphazard way in which fellings and plantings 

 had been carried out in the past, would take some 

 time to introduce, and might entail or have entailed 

 the sacriiice of woods which had not reached their 

 full felling size. With such a series of woods, what 

 would be the position as regards the shooting ? 



Firstly, it would necessitate the keeper changing 

 his rearing localities with the change in the areas 

 open to him for such purposes during a series of years. 



Secondly, all young plantations would be closed 

 to the keeper. Where the area was sufficiently 

 extensive, if possible they should not be subject to 

 being beaten through by beaters when the coverts 

 were being shot. They could be gone through by 

 the keeper and an assistant or so before the shooting 

 commenced to put the birds into the open woods. 



Thirdly, the young plantations would afford con- 

 siderable cover and shelter to the birds. 



Fourthly, as soon as the cover overhead of the 

 middle-aged woods allowed sufficient light to 

 penetrate to the soil below, on the understanding 

 that the owner was prepared to spend money to 

 obtain extra sport, a ground cover could be intro- 

 duced of shade-bearing shrubs — of which an infinite 

 variety are now on the market ; or if the woods con- 

 sisted of a light-demanding species, such as the 

 larch, they could be underplanted. 



This cover would not interfere with the growth of 

 the trees, would improve the soil conditions, and 

 would afford protection to the birds, v 



Fifthly, the old woods before felling would in a 

 varying and changing degree afford the high rises 



