66 



and cattle in summer, the whole island would soon 

 be covered with wood self-sown, as the whole wood 

 on the island is natural. A few years ago, when I 

 surveyed this island, I advised the wealthy proprietor 

 to plant the whole of it, as nothing else could be 

 more advantageous and profitable, whether for natu- 

 ral oak as coppice, or rearing trees to maturity ; from 

 its advantages of sea carriage, it would pay uncom- 

 monly well per acre, notwithstanding its rocks, it 

 would soon plant itself if the cattle and sheep were 

 taken away ; it needs no enclosing. The whole is« 

 land, if converted into natural oak coppice to cut 

 every twenty-four years, would pay at the rate of 

 L.5 per acre of yearly rental. 



No. XI. 



A Neglected Coppice Wood, 



The coppice woods on these farms, covering an ex- 

 tent of some hundreds of acres, and occupying land 

 not capable either of cropping or pasture, yet capable 

 of growing excellent oak on almost every foot of it, 

 would, if properly attended to, and divided into hags, 

 say twenty- four cuttings, cutting a lot yearly, be 

 brought to pay at the rate of L.75 10s. sterling of an- 

 nual rent every acre ; it is at present in a most shame- 

 ful state of neglect. The ground in almost every part 

 of it is covered with stools or stems of oak, at not 

 more than three feet stool from stool, and these 

 not having been thinned since last cutting, are 

 completely overburdened, and are evidently killing 

 each other and dying for want of nourishment, so 



