586 ON USEFUL AND BOOK I. 



room for wood on it than the hedgerows, would soon be greatly 

 heightened in value by a practice of this kind. And if such a 

 general inspector of wood were considered as equally essential 

 to an estate with a steward, I am persuaded it would remove 

 bad planting and bad management, and prove of very great 

 advantage to the landed interest and the nation at large. 



It may be thought by some, that a common steward is suffi- 

 cient for these purposes ; but this is viewing the subject very 

 superficially. Few stewards know much about the value of 

 timber ; and scarcely any understand the formation and ma- 

 nagement of plantations. If gentlemen were to be guided by 

 their stewards in every thing, their estates would perhaps cost 

 them little thought ; for all would go on easily and apparently 

 very well. But a landed proprietor, alive to his own inte- 

 rest, considers that there are many other things from which 

 he may derive profit, besides the mere rent of arable land. 

 He considers the interior parts of the earth in a mineralogical 

 point of view ; his lakes for fisheries ; his rivers or brooks for 

 driving machinery, and his hedgerows and barren spots for 

 valuable plantations, &c. ; — perhaps he has an idea of adding 

 to the extent of his property, by gaining land from the sea; 

 or if he cannot encroach upon this powerful element, he may 

 strew the shore with stones, and thus ensure himself valuable 



